-reaffirms commitment to regional cooperation, security

The General Secretariat of the Organisation of American States (OAS) has expressed deep concern over the increasingly “aggressive stance” of the Maduro regime in Venezuela to seize Guyana’s Essequibo territory.

In a statement issued on Thursday, OAS expressed a sense of urgency and gravity regarding the aggressive stance of Venezuela which has escalated to a point where it poses a significant risk to Guyana’s territorial sovereignty and stability in the broader hemisphere.

“It is imperative to recall that the boundary established in 1899 by an international Arbitration Committee is in force and legally binding on all parties under international law. This award is currently reinforced by proceedings and decisions at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). These proceedings were mandated by the United Nations Secretary General in accordance with the terms of a 1966 agreement signed in Geneva by representatives of the governments of Venezuela and Guyana.

“The Maduro regime is continuing to take and promote unlawful actions against Guyana, such as conducting an illegal and illegitimate referendum on December 3, 2023, by which it seeks to annex the Essequibo region. This action was taken not only in flagrant disregard for international law and decisions of the ICJ but also, once more, with an undemocratic use of democratic processes,” the OAS said in a statement.

Prior to the referendum, the Maduro regime had engaged in other aggressive actions, including incidents and acts of intimidation. The recent violations of the ICJ decision are deemed flagrant, with the Venezuelan dictatorship overstepping its jurisdiction by intervening in matters of defence, nationality, administration, and economics, violating the territorial integrity of Guyana.

The OAS said that it is crucial to note that the Maduro regime has a track record of violating human rights, as highlighted by reports from the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The regime is currently under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, and its persistent violations of the Inter-American Democratic Charter have contributed to the worst migratory and humanitarian crises in the hemisphere.

“The authorities of the regime are being investigated before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity; the Venezuelan regime has been a stubborn and persistent violator of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, it has generated by its own actions the worst migratory crisis in the Hemisphere and the worst humanitarian crisis in the hemisphere, apart from the corruption trials referring to PDVSA and drug trafficking trials that involved circles close to the dictatorship.

“The recent actions taken by the regime in Venezuela not only jeopardize the development and stability of Guyana, but also pose a broader risk to the security of Latin America and the Caribbean – a situation that has been repeatedly condemned by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),” the release said.

Given these developments and the ICJ’s decision on provisional measures against Venezuela on December 1, 2023, the OAS General Secretariat endorsed the call for an immediate meeting of the OAS Permanent Council. The Council met to discuss and explore measures to address the crisis while upholding international law and regional stability.

The OAS reaffirms its commitment to regional cooperation and security and condemns any actions that jeopardize the development and stability of Guyana and pose broader risks to Latin America and the Caribbean.