Guyana secures international backing amid rising tensions with Venezuela

Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has reaffirmed that the country enjoys strong international support as it faces renewed provocations from neighboring Venezuela in an escalating border dispute.

Speaking at a press conference in Georgetown on Thursday (March 6, 2025), Dr. Jagdeo condemned Venezuela’s latest actions, which he described as a violation of a 2023 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The court had issued a provisional order barring both nations from engaging in activities that could heighten tensions over the contested Essequibo region.

Venezuela’s recent incursion into Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), he said, is also a blatant disregard of the Argyle Declaration, an agreement brokered in December 2023 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines that was intended to ensure peaceful relations in the region.

“We have robust support from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and most importantly, from CARICOM,” Dr. Jagdeo stated while saying that “Venezuela finds itself in a weak position.”

The Vice President also dismissed remarks by senior Venezuelan officials who likened Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The comparison, he suggested, was a misguided attempt to sway U.S. policy.

“They think such rhetoric might weaken U.S. support for Guyana’s longstanding claim, but it’s an immature and baseless strategy,” he said.

Venezuela’s recent aggressions occurred on March 1, 2025 around 07:00 hours when Venezuelan Naval Vessel ABV Guaiqueiri sailed approximately 700 metres in Guyana’s EEZ near FPSO PROSPERITY.

The Venezuelan naval vessel communicated threateningly via radio communication that FPSO PROSPERITY was operating in Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone, before continuing in a Southwestern direction towards other FPSOs, to which it delivered the same message.

The incursion drew swift condemnation from the Guyanese government, CARICOM, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, and key Western nations, including the U.S., the U.K., and France.

PLANNED ELECTIONS

Further, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has since filed a new case at the ICJ, seeking emergency measures to halt Venezuela’s plans to hold an election in Essequibo.

Scheduled for March 25, 2025 Venezuela’s proposed vote could involve preparatory actions on Guyanese territory, an act Georgetown views as a direct threat to its sovereignty.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday (March 7, 2025) acknowledged receipt of Guyana’s latest filing.

The Court noted that Guyana filed in the Registry of the International Court of Justice a Request for provisional measures in the case concerning Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela), pursuant to Article 41 of the Statute of the Court and Articles 73, 74 and 76 of the Rules of Court.

According to Guyana’s Application to the Court, the conduct of Venezuelan elections, which are scheduled for 25 May 2025, as well as all preparatory acts in the disputed territory leading to the holding of such elections, would violate “Guyana’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, as well as the Court’s Order [on the indication of provisional measures] of 1 December 2023”.

Guyana further contends that the conduct of electoral activities by Venezuela in the relevant territory will cause irreparable harm to Guyana and that “[t]he need for provisional measures is urgent”.

1.         Venezuela shall not conduct any election in, or in respect of, any part of the territory on Guyana’s side of the boundary line as established by the 1899 Arbitral Award, including by doing any of the following acts:

a)         purporting to extend the right to vote in any Venezuelan elections to any individuals living within that territory;

b)        distributing ballot papers, poll cards, electoral materials or any other physical or electronic electoral documents to individuals within that territory;

c)         presenting or naming or otherwise supporting candidates for any Venezuelan elections within that territory;

d)        establishing polling stations, counting stations or electoral offices within that territory;

e)         purporting to establish, elect or appoint any office of governor, legislative council, deputies or any other legislative or governmental official in respect of any part of that territory; and

f)         communicating directly or indirectly with any residents in that territory in regard to any elections planned by Venezuela.

2.         Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which purports to annex de jure or de facto any territory on Guyana’s side of the boundary line established by the 1899 Arbitral Award, including by incorporating ‘Guayana Esequiba’ as part of Venezuela.

3.         Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would seek to modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over that area.”

This marks the second time Guyana has turned to the ICJ for intervention. In December 2023, the court ruled that Venezuela must refrain from any action that could alter the status quo in the disputed territory, where Guyana maintains administrative control. Georgetown argues that Caracas’ election plans represent a clear violation of this order.

The border dispute, which dates back more than a century, centers on the oil-rich Essequibo region, which comprises two-thirds of Guyana’s territory. While Guyana insists that an 1899 arbitration ruling settled the issue, Venezuela continues to claim the region as its own.