MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Guyana on alert after Maduro's plans regarding Essequibo elections

Maduro's calling for an election “by the people of Guayana Esequiba” of a governor of “Guayana Esequiba” represents a blatant disregard for international law, Georgetown said

Guyanese authorities expressed their regret this week that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro intends to hold elections for the position of Governor of the disputed territory of Guyana Essequiba because the move would be in violation of what was arranged between the two countries in the Dec. 14, 2023, Argyle Agreement.

Guyana's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Caracas' recent actions and statements also constituted a clear violation of that document as well as the binding Order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued on Dec. 1, 2023.

In Argyle, in the presence of Vincentian Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves; Brazil's Special Envoy Celso Amorim, and Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit; Maduro and Guyana's President Irfaan Ali also agreed that any controversies between the two states would be settled in accordance with international law including the Geneva Agreement of February 17, 1966.

While both parties had pledged would refrain “from actions that could aggravate tensions or alter the current situation in the disputed territory, pending resolution in accordance with international law,” Maduro's Jan. 7, 2025, announcements regarding the election of a “Governor of the Guayana Esequiba“ by “the people of Guayana Esequiba” constituted a direct violation of these commitments, Georgetown argued.

”This unilateral action disregards the spirit of the Argyle Agreement undermines the agreed framework for dialogue and peaceful coexistence and significantly escalates tensions between our nations,” the former British Colony went on to say while warning that any attempt to conduct an election in Guyanese territory involving Guyanese nationals would be in “flagrant violation’ of the most fundamental principles of international law.

“President Maduro’s statement, coupled with any actions to integrate the Essequibo region into Venezuela’s administrative framework, including by calling for an election “by the people of Guayana Esequiba” of a governor of “Guayana Esequiba,” represents a blatant disregard for this binding Order,” the statement read.

Guyana thus reserved its right to ask the ICJ for additional provisional measures should Venezuela take any further steps in this regard, while reiterating its rejection of Venezuela’s claims to the Essequibo.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana requests assurances from the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela that it will respect its international obligations and refrain from further actions that undermine the peaceful resolution of this longstanding controversy. In conformity with international law,” the statement went on.

In the meantime, Maduro is to be sworn in for another six-year term in office on Friday following the July 28, 2024, controversial elections, which opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzélez Urrutia also claims to have won and therefore plans to take his oath of office. In this scenario, an already militarized Venezuela with a civil war as one of the possible outcomes keeps pouring fuel onto the bonfire of diplomatic ties with neighbors.

According to a report early last year citing US think tank CSIS, satellite images would show a military buildup on the Venezuelan side of the Essequibo border.