Timeline of Guyana Venezuela Border Conflict

How it All Unfolded

Timeline

  • August 11, 2025

    Venezuela is expected to file its Rejoinder. The Court will in due course set a date for public hearings.

  • May 1, 2025

    The Court issued its Order, which has binding effect, as below:

    “(1) Unanimously,

    Reaffirms the provisional measures indicated in its Order of 1 December 2023, which should be immediately and effectively implemented;

    (2) By twelve votes to three,

    Indicates the following provisional measure:

    Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from conducting… Read More

  • March 7, 2025

    The Court indicated that it would hear the Parties on Guyana’s Request by means of a written procedure. The Court then fixed time limits for Venezuela to present written observations on Guyana’s Request. Venezuela did not make a submission to the Court within the time limits set by the Court. Guyana then indicated to the Court that it did not wish to make another submission and asked the Court to proceed issue its decision. 

  • March 6, 2025

    Guyana filed in the Registry of the Court a Request for provisional measures pursuant to Article 41 of the Statute of the Court and Articles 73, 74 and 76 of the Rules of Court. prompted by Venezuela’s announcement that it will soon hold elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region. Guyana indicated that the conduct of Venezuelan elections, which are scheduled for 25 May 2025, as well as all preparatory acts in the territory leading to the holding of such elections, would violate its sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, as well as the Court’s Order of 1 December 2023.

  • December 9, 2024

    Guyana filed its reply to Venezuela’s Counter-memorial.

  • June 14, 2024

    By Order dated June 14, 2024, the Court fixed December 9, 2024, for the filing of the Reply by Guyana and August 11, 2025 for the Rejoinder of Venezuela.

  • June 11, 2024

    A meeting was held by the President of the Court with the Agents of the Parties pursuant to Article 31 of the Rules of Court, to ascertain their views on the subsequent procedure in the case. Both Parties agreed on the need for a second round of written submissions to the Court. 

  • April 8, 2024

    Venezuela filed its Counter-memorial concerning the merit of the case within the time-limit.

  • December 1, 2023

    In its December 1 Order, which has binding effect, the Court indicated the following provisional measures:

    “(1) Unanimously,

     Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over that area;

     (2) Unanimously,

    Both Parties… Read More

  • November 14-15, 2023

    The ICJ held public hearings on the Request for the indication of provisional measures

    submitted by Guyana on 30 October 2023. 

  • October 30, 2023

    Guyana filed a Request for the indication of provisional measures pursuant to Article 41 of the Statute of the Court. Guyana stated that “[o]n 23 October 2023, the Government of Venezuela, through its National Electoral Council, published a list of five questions that it plans to put before the Venezuelan people in a . . . ‘Consultative Referendum’ on 3 December 2023”. In Guyana’s view the purpose of the referendum was “to obtain responses that would support Venezuela’s decision to abandon [the current proceedings before the Court], and to resort instead to unilateral measures to ‘resolve’ the controversy with Guyana by formally annexing and integrating into Venezuela all the territory at issue in these… Read More

  • April 6, 2023

    The Court delivered its judgement on Venezuela’s preliminary objection on April 6, 2023.  It rejected Venezuela’s objection by a vote of fourteen to one. The Court then fixed April 8, 2024, as the time-limit for the filing of the Counter-Memorial by Venezuela. 

  • November 17-22, 2022

    The ICJ held public hearings on the preliminary objections raised by Venezuela. Although Venezuela refers to “preliminary objections” in the plural in its final submissions, the Court, in its Judgment, understood it to be making in substance only a single preliminary objection.

  • July 15, 2022

    Guyana filed its written observations to Venezuela’s preliminary objections on July 15. By a letter dated 28 July 2022, Venezuela commented on Guyana’s written observations on the preliminary objections.

  • June 13, 2022

    The Court fixed 7 October 2022 as the time-limit within which Guyana could present a written statement of its observations and submissions on the preliminary objections raised by Venezuela.

  • June 7, 2022

    Venezuela raised preliminary objections, which it characterized as objections to the admissibility of Guyana’s application. As such, under the provisions of Article 79bis, paragraph 3, of the Rules of the Court, the merits phase of the case was suspended so that the Court can consider the objection raised by Venezuela. 

  • March 8, 2022

    Guyana filed its Memorial on the merits of the case.

  • March 8, 2021

    By Order of March 8, 2021, the Court fixed the time-limits for the filing of written pleadings on the merits of the case as: March 8, 2022, for the Memorial of Guyana and March 8, 2023, for the Counter-Memorial of Venezuela.

  • December 18, 2020

    The ICJ delivered its judgement on December 18, 2020, affirming that it has jurisdiction to entertain Guyana’s application concerning the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award and the related question of the definitive settlement of the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela. 

  • June 30, 2020

    A public hearing on the question of jurisdiction was held in hybrid format on 30 June 2020. Venezuela did not participate.

  • November 28, 2019

    Venezuela failed to meet the deadline prescribed by the Court for the submission of its counter-memorial on Jurisdiction. Instead, on November 28, 2019, Venezuela submitted a memorandum outlining its position that the Court lacks jurisdiction in the case. 

  • November 19, 2018

    In accordance with the time limit fixed by the Court, Guyana submitted its Memorial addressing the question of the Court’s jurisdiction. 

  • June 19, 2018

    Pursuant to Article 79, paragraph 2, of its Rules, the Court considered that, in the circumstances of the case, it must resolve first the question of its jurisdiction, and that this question should be separately determined before any proceedings on the merits. By an Order dated 19 June 2018, the Court fixed 19 November 2018 and 18 April 2019 as the respective time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and a Counter-Memorial by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on the question of its jurisdiction.

  • June 18, 2018

    In accordance with the provisions of Article 31 of the Rules of Court, the President of the Court met with the representatives of the Parties, on 18 June 2018, to ascertain their views on the question of procedure. 

    At that meeting, H.E. Ms Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, Vice-President of Venezuela, stated that her government considers that the Court manifestly lacks jurisdiction, and that Venezuela has decided not to take part in the proceedings. She handed the President of the Court a letter dated 18 June 2018 from H.E. President Nicolás Maduro Moros, wherein he stated, “there is no basis for the jurisdiction of the Court” and that “the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will not participate in the proceedings.

  • March 29, 2018

    Guyana filed its application with the ICJ requesting the Court to adjudge and declare, inter alia that the 1899 Award is valid and binding upon Guyana and Venezuela, and the boundary established by that Award and the 1905 Agreement is valid and binding upon Guyana and

    Venezuela. 

  • January 30, 2018

    The United Nations Secretary General by letter indicated to the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela that ‘… I have fulfilled the responsibility that has fallen to me within the framework set by my predecessor and, significant progress not having been made toward arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy, have chosen the International Court of Justice as the means that is now to be used for its solution’. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in the discharge of its mandate to promote the interests of Guyana within the international community, is committed to preserving the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to contributing to the economic and social development of the Guyanese people. The Ministry is equally committed to promoting the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, maintaining active relationships with the diplomatic community through skilled, dedicated diplomatic and administrative staff, and ensuring effective utilisation of its financial and material resources.

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