On December 14, 2023, The leaders of Venezuela and Guyana would not use force against each other in the middle of a dispute over a rich oil site on Guyanese land. They agreed to create a commission to address the territorial splat.
The image is of a Satellite border map of Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname. Guyana has 2 disputed areas, one with Venezuela over the Guayana Esequiba region west of the Esequibo River. The second dispute is with Suriname over the Tigri Area or New River Triangle, an area between the upper Corentyne and the Curuni/Kutari River.
Tension over the land amounts to about two-thirds of the Guyanese national territory. Mounted in the last few days after a Venezuelan referendum voters assented to the creation of a Venezuelan state inside the disputed territory. Guyana has moved a step towards annexation.
In the joint declaration both Venezuela, and Guyana agreed not to use force, or threats against each other in any circumstances.
On December 14, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali shook hands, with both men surrounded by advisers and officials from regional Caribbean blocs at the Argyle International Airport near the island’s capital Kingston.
At a news conference between the meetings. Ali spoke to reporters, and said,” there is absolutely no retreat by Guyana in ensuring that this matter is determined by the ICJ and that the outcome of this matter at the ICJ be respected by all.” He then added,” We made it very clear that Guyana is not the aggressor, Guyana is not seeking war.” He also added,” but Guyana reserves the right to work with all our partners to ensure the defense of our country.”
Prime Ministers of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica envoys from the UN and Brazil were also in the room for the meetings acting as interlocutors. The leaders of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica currently serve as the two heads of important regional blocs, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) respectively.
The joint commission will include each country’s foreign minister and tech staff. To address the matters as agreed.
The two countries in the Essequibo region stayed vastly at odds after summit held on the Caribbean islands of St. Grenadines, and Vincent, with a joint declaration issued at its conclusion declaring both Guyana’s view that the dispute should be resolved by the International Court of Justice and Venezuela’s.
The image above shows the Caribbean islands. This article shows how not every conflict needs to end with violence.
