–maintains peace must always come first; aware of his role under the Argyle Declaration

PRIME Minister of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves has addressed the Venezuelan naval incursion into Guyana’s maritime territory, noting that the vessel interacted with several Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) platforms “undoubtedly under Guyana’s jurisdictions.”

Gonsalves, who serves as an interlocutor for the Argyle Agreement—a peace agreement inked between Guyana and Venezuela– addressed the issue during an airing of his weekly radio programme.

“They [Venezuelans] interacted with the FPSO platforms, and these are undoubtedly under Guyana’s jurisdiction, because that’s the purpose of the oil exploration in that area,” the Prime Minister said.

Venezuelan naval vessel, the ABV Guaiqueiri PO-11-IMO 469552, entered Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone on March 1, 2025, coming dangerously close — approximately 700 meters—to the FPSO PROSPERITY, which was operating lawfully under a licence issued by Guyana.

The Venezuelan vessel made threatening radio communications, falsely claiming that the FPSO PROSPERITY was operating in Venezuela’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

It then proceeded southwest, repeating the same aggressive message to other FPSOs operating in the region.

Prime Minister Gonsalves, in addressing the issue, said: “Peace must always come first, especially in matters of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The role of the international community, including CARICOM, the United States, and the United Kingdom, is pivotal in ensuring that peace prevails in this region.”

In December 2023, Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro had met in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The meeting was facilitated by the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, and observed by Brazil, CARICOM, and a UN Under-Secretary-General.

This historic meeting culminated in what is now known as the “Argyle Declaration,” an 11-point agreement that addresses matters consequential to the border controversy, including the fact that Guyana stands firm in its position that the substantial case is before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“I take my responsibilities under the Argyle Declaration seriously. I’m fully aware of the delicate balance we must maintain between both countries, and I will continue to work closely with all parties involved,” Gonsalves said Wednesday.

He noted that Venezuela has blatantly disregarded this agreement.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve faced such issues since the Argyle Declaration came into force, but we must ensure that such incidents don’t repeat,” Gonsavles said.

In response to the Bolivarian Republic’s most recent aggression Guyana immediately lodged a formal protest with Venezuela, reiterating its rights to the maritime areas as defined by the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the boundary between British Guiana (Guyana) and Venezuela.

“This latest action by the Government of Venezuela has done nothing but pose a threat to the peace, good order, and security of the sovereign territory of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and the stability of the Latin American and Caribbean region,” Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier this week.

The ministry further noted that just months prior, Venezuela completed a controversial bridge connecting its mainland to the Ankoko Island.

This escalation also follows Venezuela’s announcement of plans to hold elections in the Essequibo Region, which Guyana deems an integral part of its sovereign territory.

“Such hostile acts are inconsistent with the obligation of the Parties to respect each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, and to resolve disputes by peaceful means, and thus can only be viewed as a threat to the peace, security and stability of the Latin American and Caribbean region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared, reaffirming Guyana’s commitment to peace and international law.

While Guyana supports diplomacy in addressing the border controversy, the government has firmly stated that it will not tolerate any threats to its territorial integrity or to its lawful activities, including those conducted by licensed entities operating in its waters.

Guyana has raised the issue with the United Nations, the Organisation of American States, the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth, and the international community, urging them to take note of Venezuela’s escalating actions and the ongoing threat to regional peace and security.