ONE doesn’t have to be a lawyer to understand that Friday’s ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) favoured Guyana, as it granted the most important interim measure requested that Venezuela’s referendum today should not, in any way, alter the status quo while the court adjudicates.
As President, Dr Irfaan Ali noted on Friday, as a responsible member of the international community about to assume membership of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, Guyana remains absolutely committed to a peaceful solution of the ongoing controversy over Venezuela’s ridiculous claim to more than half of Guyana.

This is not a controversy over whether Essequibo is part of Guyana, but one over Venezuela’s claim that the 1899 Arbitral Award was binding on the parties involved.
One of the major tragedies of this sorry episode is that President Nicolas Maduro is causing both Simon Bolivar and Hugo Chavez to turn in their graves, as neither would ever have imagined or entertained even the most remote thoughts of invasion, occupation and colonization of Guyana.
Maduro, facing a Presidential election, is naturally putting his party’s political survival ahead of everything else, but promising to deliver the Essequibo as an election campaign item is a tall order that he will simply never be able to deliver.

Guyana doesn’t want even one person — Guyanese or Venezuelan — to die over Venezuela’s impossible quest to forcefully change the name and citizenship of Guyanese in Essequibo.
Gaza today is the most telling example of what follows forcible occupation, as every one of the over 15,000 Palestinians killed since October 7 leaves to mourn at least one family member seeking vengeance.

So, is that what Venezuela wants to breed in Guyana’s Essequibo, where islanders have made it abundantly clear they don’t want to artificially change their nationalities?
Guyana doesn’t want a war, but will definitely not remain defenseless against the most serious threat from Venezuela since 1899, this time from a Bolivarian Socialist administration turned European-type neo-colonial conquistador in search of new lands to conquer.

Guyana has taken a responsible approach in its response to Venezuela’s ridiculous claim, but Caracas continues inventing interpretations of the ICJ’s ruling while gathering troops for action and agitating citizens to support colonial territorial expansion.
But time and history are both on Guyana’s side and global support is both real and serious — in which case today’s referendum, no matter the result, simply cannot be used by Caracas as an excuse for taking any action whatsoever that will change anything while the case is still being heard by the World Court’s judges.

That’s the bottom line for now. But what of tomorrow?
The Maduro administration’s stoking of neocolonial tendencies in the name of nationalism is a far cry from the rich history of Venezuela’s long fight for independence.
It’s neighbours – Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago — are today gateways for the long and difficult trek of Venezuelans seeking better lives elsewhere than what’s on offer at home.
That said, Guyana remains fully committed to defend itself the best it can, with the most help available, even while maintaining that the only sustainable solution is a peaceful, negotiated and non-violent one.

As predicted by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, justice has prevailed at the World Court and the interim measures granted will remain in place for as long as the case remains pending before the ICJ.
And as he also intimated, today’s referendum won’t change the price of sugar or rice, so Guyana “will continue to resolutely do all things possible to ensure our territorial integrity is guarded and our people are safe.”