MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

ICJ to hold public hearings on Venezuela/Guyana territorial dispute in March

The first round of oral arguments starts on March 23 when Guyana will present its case from 10 am to 1 pm at the Peace Palace in The Hague

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will begin holding public hearings, next month, on Venezuela’s claim for more than half of Guyana’s territory. The first round of oral arguments starts on March 23 when Guyana will present its case from 10 am to 1 pm at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

A day later, Venezuela will make its case at the same time. Guyana will present its second round of arguments on March 25 from 4:30 pm to 6 pm.

Venezuela will respond from 10 am to 11:30 am on March 27.

On 29 March 2018, Guyana filed an application against Venezuela seeking “to confirm the legal validity and binding effect of the Award Regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela, on 3 October 1899”.

Guyana claimed that the 1899 Award was “a full, perfect, and final settlement” of all questions relating to the boundary line between the colony of British Guiana and Venezuela.