MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rutley meets with Ali to reaffirm UK's support to Guyana in Essequibo controversy

“The United Kingdom supports Guyana,” Rutley wrote on social media

British Minister for the Americas, Caribbean, and Overseas Territories David Rutley met Monday in Georgetown with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali to reaffirm the United Kingdom's support to the South American country in their controversy with Venezuela over the 160,000 km2 oil-rich Essequibo region.

Rutley insisted the issue has been settled for more than 120 years and sovereign borders must be respected. He also welcomed the agreement last Thursday in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where both parties pledged not to use force and avoid any further escalation. Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro pledged not to “threaten each other, nor use force against each other under any circumstances.”

“The United Kingdom supports Guyana,” wrote Rutley on X together with a photo in which he shakes Ali's hand before the closed-door meeting.

The UK stands with Guyana, @presidentaligy.

In Georgetown today, I reiterated our steadfast support for Guyana’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and regional peace.

The people of Guyana deserve to be free from threats to their country. pic.twitter.com/QGDKgND9e0

— David Rutley MP (@DavidRutley) December 18, 2023

Monday's talks between Ali and Rutley “focused on the continuation and expansion of the relationship between the United Kingdom and Guyana, especially in areas of security and sustainable economic development,” according to a statement from Guyanese authorities.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil replied also on X that “the former empire, invader, and slaveholder, which illegally occupied the territory of Guiana Essequiba and acted in a cunning and devious manner against the interests of Venezuela, insists on intervening in a territorial controversy that they themselves generated.”

“This controversy will be resolved directly between the parties,” he added while calling Rutley a “filibuster.”

Venezuela maintains Essequibo is a part of its territory from the time it was a Spanish colony.