The Guyana government said an apparent plan by Venezuela to host an election in the Essequibo region is a clear violation of the Argyle Agreement – an agreement the two countries signed in December 2023 to keep the peace.
On January 7, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro announced his intention to hold an election of the “Governor of the Guayana Esequiba” by “the people of Guayana Esequiba.”
Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it would be a flagrant violation of fundamental principles of international law for Venezuela to try to conduct an election in Guyanese territory with the participation of Guyanese nationals.
Guyana said it directly violates not only the Argyle Agreement but also the binding order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also issued in December 2023. The two countries have been before the court for years to settle the territorial controversy. The ICJ has given a preliminary order that Venezuela refrain from actions that would compromise Guyana’s administration and control of the Essequibo territory.
The Guyana government said, “Such actions not only jeopardize the judicial process but also undermine the authority of the ICJ as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.”
Should Venezuela take steps toward conducting this election, Guyana said it reserves the right to ask the world court for additional provisional measures.
Venezuela has always refused to accept the jurisdiction of the ICJ, despite participating in the territorial case with Guyana at every step, and despite the court’s own ruling that it has jurisdiction to settle the controversy once and for all.
Guyana urged Venezuela to cease all actions that contravene the Argyle Agreement and the ICJ order and to provide assurances that it will not undermine efforts to peacefully resolve the longstanding controversy.
The case centers on the 1899 Arbitral Award, which legally determined the boundary between the two countries. Venezuela, after accepting the boundary for decades, declared the award null and void in 1962 and has since claimed over two-thirds of Guyana’s territory in the Essequibo region.
Guyana initiated legal proceedings at the ICJ in 2018, following UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ determination that judicial settlement was the best path forward. The ICJ subsequently ruled it had jurisdiction over the case in 2020, rejecting Venezuela’s objections.
Maduro’s latest action comes ahead of a controversial inauguration ceremony set for January 10, during which he expects to commence his third six-year term. Serious doubts have clouded the validity of the result that gave Maduro the victory in last year’s election.
His main challenger, Edmundo González, had also claimed victory. After a judge issued a warrant for his arrest, González left in September for Spain, where he benefits from political asylum.
