VENEZUELA’s opposition candidate for the 2024 presidential elections, María Corina Machado, has called for the suspension of the December 3 referendum aimed at annexing Guyana’s Essequibo.

In a statement released on her official ‘X’ (Twitter) page, Machado asserted” “Sovereignty is exercised, not consulted,” expressing her opposition to the scheduled consultation.
“The referendum on Essequibo must be suspended,” Machado said.
She characterised the mechanism as a “distraction” amid the challenging Venezuelan political, economic, and social climate leading up to the 2024 presidential elections.
“It is an error that not only does not contribute to the defence of our territory but can also harm us in our defence in the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” she maintained.
The long-standing territorial controversy predates Guyana’s independence in 1966, with tensions escalating in 2015 following ExxonMobil’s discovery of oil fields.
Machado, who was elected as an opposition candidate to contend against socialist President Nicolás Maduro in the 2024 presidential elections, emphasises the potential negative impact of the referendum on Venezuela’s defence in the ICJ.

Guyana is currently awaiting a ruling from the ICJ regarding the application for provisional measures to prevent any action by Venezuela to annex Guyana’s Essequibo.
The genesis of the border controversy goes back to the 1899 Arbitral Award, a landmark decision that delineated the land boundary between British Guiana (now Guyana) and Venezuela.
Despite the historic arbitration, tensions have persisted, with Venezuela repeatedly challenging the validity of the award.
In 2018, Guyana took a decisive step by approaching the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking affirmation of the award’s legitimacy.
Venezuela, taking a defiant stance, initially claimed that the ICJ lacked jurisdiction, a contention flatly rejected by the World Court in a crucial ruling in December 2020. The door was thus opened for the ICJ to delve into the substantive case’s merits.

Recent developments have heightened the geopolitical situation, as Venezuela, through its National Electoral Council, unveiled plans for a “Consultative Referendum” on December 3.
Guyana contends that this move is a thinly veiled attempt by Venezuela to gather support for abandoning the ongoing ICJ proceedings, and unilaterally assert control over the Essequibo region.

Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy Rodriguez, has expressed her nation’s complete disregard for the ICJ’s authority in addressing the border controversy.
The substantive case which highlights the historical context and the 1899 Arbitral Award, remains before the World Court.