AS Venezuela proceeds with its elections today, attempting to illegally include Guyana’s sovereign Essequibo territory in its electoral process, we find ourselves at a critical juncture that demands unwavering unity and resolve.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s recent assurance that Guyanese “have nothing to fear” is more than political rhetoric—it is the conviction of a sovereign nation that will not be cowed by aggressive bluster and blatant disregard for international law.

That these elections are to take place is especially egregious in light of the International Court of Justice’s clear instruction to Venezuela on May 1, 2025, not to conduct or prepare to conduct any elections in Guyana’s Essequibo territory pending a final decision on the ongoing border controversy.

Venezuela’s open defiance of this decision lays bare the emptiness of its assertions of legitimacy and adherence to international law. This is more than a border conflict—it is a deliberate effort to frustrate the authority of international bodies and destabilise a peaceful neighbour for political and economic reasons.

The discovery of substantial oil reserves in Essequibo’s offshore waters had undoubtedly unleashed Venezuela’s aggressive rhetoric, but this cannot be used to justify any invasion of internationally recognised borders agreed upon by legitimate arbitration in 1899.

Venezuela’s referendum in December 2023 to sanction the annexation of two-thirds of Guyana was no more than a staged exercise in managed consent. The fact that this referendum was unable to rouse Venezuelan citizens says everything about the contrived character of this land claim.

Guyanese need to take heed of the wisdom in our national unity and social cohesion in overcoming this challenge.

Venezuela’s highly developed propaganda machinery and disinformation require a unified response from all segments of Guyanese society.

The massive surveillance operations being undertaken along our borders, while understandably classified in nature, demonstrate that President Ali’s government is taking concrete steps to protect our territorial integrity.

Yet our strongest point is not military readiness by itself, but our collective determination to be a single people united in defending our sovereignty.  As we see the last gasps of Venezuela trying to lend legitimacy to its illegitimate actions by holding pseudo-elections, we have to be on guard against disinformation while having faith in the international legal mechanisms that will ultimately enforce our rights. Guyana’s sovereignty will survive Venezuela’s illegitimate process, safeguarded by law, justice, and the unbending solidarity of our people.