–Dr. Jagdeo says; affirms that Guyana is not going to let its guards down

AS Venezuela continues to rehash its spurious claims over Guyana’s Essequibo region, Guyana’s partners, who have been notified of the Bolivarian Republic’s recent action, are “outraged”, Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo told a news conference on Thursday last.

During a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) press conference, Dr. Jagdeo said that the action taken by President Nicolás Maduro to promulgate the “organic law for the Defence of Guayana Esequiba”, is a form of annexation by decree, and although it is not fiscal annexation, it runs contrary to the Argyle agreement and the ongoing process at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“In fact, it runs counter to the provisional measures given by the World Court that prohibits any change of the status quo in relation to the 1899 Award, and Venezuela is seeking to unilaterally change this,” he said, adding:
“We have already notified all of our partners.

We brought this to their attention, the bad faith [and] negotiations of Venezuela, and so they are aware of what’s happening. Many of them are expressing concern and also outrage about this approach; the untrustworthy nature of the regime there, and we are not going to let our guards down. So, I hope that the country recognises this; everyone has been fully briefed on this matter.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has issued a statement where it deems the action taken by Venezuela “an egregious violation of the most fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the Charter of the Organisation of American States and customary international law”.

The Foreign Ministry has noted that the action also contradicts the letter and spirit of the Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela, agreed to on December 14, 2023, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“This unlawful act calls into question Venezuela’s obligation to abide by the principles of that Declaration.

In this light, the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana wishes to put on notice the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Governments of the Caribbean Community and the Latin American and Caribbean Community of Nations, as well as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the Secretary- General of the Organisation of American States, that it will not countenance the annexation, seizure or occupation of any part of its sovereign territory.

“Guyana has always stood by the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Rule of Law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes,” the statement read.

It further noted that as a result of the 1966 Geneva Agreement, to which Venezuela and Guyana are parties, the ICJ has ruled that it has jurisdiction to make a decision on the case brought before it by Guyana regarding the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which definitively settled the land boundary between the two countries, and the Court’s decision will be final and binding on both parties.

It then stated: “If Venezuela wants to contest title to the territory in question, the proper forum is the International Court of Justice, which will decide the issue objectively and according to the law.

“Furthermore, the offensive and undignified statements made by President Maduro about the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana have not gone unnoticed. It is unfortunate that the commitment made at Argyle to “the pursuance of good neighborliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean” is now again seriously threatened by President Maduro’s words and action today,” the statement concluded.