GEORGETOWN, Guyana: On Thursday, the leaders of Guyana and Venezuela geared up for a tense meeting amidst efforts by regional nations to calm down a longstanding territorial conflict, which heightened when Venezuelans voted in a referendum to lay claim to two-thirds of their smaller neighbor.
In response to regional pressures, Presidents Irfaan Ali of Guyana and Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela have agreed to convene at the Argyle International Airport situated on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent. Additionally, the Prime Ministers of Barbados, Dominica, and Trinidad and Tobago have expressed their intention to participate in this gathering.
The primary objective of this meeting is to alleviate the escalating tensions surrounding Essequibo, an extensive border region abundant in oil and minerals, predominantly recognized as Guyana’s territory but contested by Venezuela. Following a referendum, Venezuela’s president directed state-owned enterprises to explore and exploit the oil, gas, and mineral resources within Essequibo, prompting both nations to heighten military readiness.
The outcome of the session remains uncertain, with doubts prevailing regarding the possibility of reaching agreements or diffusing the border dispute. President Ali of Guyana has consistently emphasized the necessity for the resolution of this conflict solely through the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands.
“We are firm on this matter and it will not be open for discussion,” Ali wrote Tuesday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Venezuela maintains its historical claim over the Essequibo region dating back to the Spanish colonial era and cites the 1966 Geneva Agreement, asserting that it annulled the 1899 border set by international arbitrators involving Britain, Guyana, and Venezuela. In a recent communication to St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, Guyana’s President referred to the Geneva Agreement’s directive for the International Court of Justice to resolve any border disputes.
The president expressed concerns about what he deemed as inaccuracies in Maduro’s letter to Gonsalves, particularly rebutting the portrayal of Guyana’s oil concessions as within an undetermined maritime zone. He clarified that these oil blocks fall entirely within Guyana’s recognized waters according to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Moreover, the president rejected Maduro’s claim of U.S. Southern Command interference in the disputed territory, affirming that recent flight operations by the U.S. Southern Command took place within Guyana and refuting any suggestion of military action against Venezuela within Guyanese borders.
Maduro’s letter reiterated Venezuela’s stance on the 1899 border agreement, alleging it was a collaboration between the U.S. and the U.K. and emphasizing the need for an amicable resolution agreeable to both nations. Additionally, Maduro referenced Venezuela’s recent referendum claiming ownership of the Essequibo region, known for its substantial offshore oil reserves.
Although a meeting between the leaders was scheduled for a day, many anticipate the disagreement to persist well into the following year.
