STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COOPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA
Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
254 South Road & Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown, Guyana
STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COOPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA
The Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana has taken note of the unfortunate reaction of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Order issued by the International Court of Justice on 1 May 2025 in response to Guyana’s request for additional provisional measures following the announcement by the Government of Venezuela in January 2025 of plans to elect a governor and legislative council of “Guayana Esequiba State”, which is the name Venezuela has given to Guyana’s Essequibo region.
The Government of Guyana expects that the Government of Venezuela will act responsibly in complying with the Courts’ Orders of both 1 December 2023 and 1 May 2025 which are legally binding on both States, and in so complying, fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.
The Government of Guyana further wishes to remind the Government of Venezuela that it has no intention of entering into bilateral negotiations with Venezuela regarding Venezuela’s claim of nullity of the 1899 Arbitral Award and by extension, its claim to almost two thirds of Guyana’s territory. This matter is pending before the International Court of Justice by decision of the United Nations Secretary General, in accordance with the 1966 Geneva Agreement on the settlement of the controversy, an Agreement to which both Guyana and Venezuela are parties. The Court’s Judgment will be definitive, final and binding on Guyana and Venezuela.
The Government of Guyana urges the Government of Venezuela to do more than pay lip service to the Geneva Agreement, and to actually comply with its provisions, including but not limited to Article IV(2). Essequibo is Guyana’s.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
May 2, 2025