The ICJ has detailed Guyana’s request to block Venezuela from holding elections in the Essequibo Region. Guyana seeks several provisional measures to limit Venezuela’s electoral activities and prevent annexation of territory. The conflict continues to escalate amid oil discoveries and international condemnation of Venezuela’s actions, reinforcing the complexity of the border dispute that has persisted for decades.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has detailed Guyana’s request for an order to prevent Venezuela from conducting gubernatorial or legislative elections in Essequibo, scheduled for May 25, 2025. Guyana urges the ICJ, based in The Hague, for provisional measures to address the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Land Boundary, which continues to be a significant point of contention between the two nations.
Guyana’s requested provisional measures include the following stipulations:
1. Venezuela must refrain from conducting elections or extending voting rights in the territory defined by the 1899 Arbitral Award, which falls on Guyana’s side of the boundary. This encompasses several specific prohibitions, including:
a. Extending voting rights to individuals in this territory,
b. Distributing electoral materials within the region,
c. Supporting candidates for Venezuelan elections,
d. Establishing polling or electoral offices in the area,
e. Appointing any officials for governance within the contested territory,
f. Communicating with residents regarding any planned elections by Venezuela.
2. Venezuela is also required to abstain from any actions indicating an attempt to annex territory on Guyana’s side, specifically the incorporation of ‘Guayana Esequiba’ into Venezuelan territory.
3. Furthermore, Venezuela must not engage in any actions that would alter the current control status in the disputed territory, where Guyana asserts administrative authority.
Despite prior ICJ orders issued in December 2023 being ignored, Venezuela moved ahead with a referendum regarding Essequibo, claiming a majority of voters supported its incorporation into Venezuelan territory. Following this, Venezuela enacted legislation naming Essequibo as a state and Tumeremo as its capital, pending a mutually agreeable resolution.
Tensions have escalated between the countries since ExxonMobil’s discovery of oil in the Stabroek Block. Recently, a Venezuelan military vessel entered Guyana’s exclusive economic zone, issuing warnings to oil production vessels regarding their operations within disputed waters. After fifty years of UN-led mediation efforts, Guyana escalated the matter to the ICJ in 2018 to assess the legitimacy of the 1899 Land Boundary Award. Venezuela continues to reject the ICJ’s authority in the dispute, misinterpreting the 1966 Geneva Agreement as mandating that resolutions are only achievable through bilateral negotiations.
Essequibo remains under Guyana’s administration and is recognized in international maps as part of this former British territory.
Guyana’s pursuit of provisional measures against Venezuela illustrates escalating territorial tensions, particularly with upcoming elections in the disputed Essequibo region. The ICJ’s involvement underscores the ongoing conflict stemming from Venezuela’s disregard for prior rulings and aggressive legislative actions. This situation illustrates the complexities of international law and the challenges of resolving longstanding border disputes through judicial and diplomatic channels.
Original Source: demerarawaves.com
