CARICOM to Venezuela: Don’t hold elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region

Last Updated on Friday, 28 February 2025, 22:24 by Writer

Leaders of the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have expressed “grave concern” about Venezuela’s plans to hold gubernatorial and legislative council elections in Guyana’s Essequibo Region in April.

“They urged Venezuela not to attempt to carry out elections, or to intrude in any other way, in Guyana’s sovereign territory,” they said.

In a statement on the outcome of their February 19-21 summit held in Barbados, the regional leaders urged Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro, and Chairman of the National Electoral Council of Venezuela to abort plans they announced on January 27, 2025, to conduct elections in the 160,000 square kilometre Essequibo Region on April 27, 2025, for a “Governor” and “Legislative Council” of the so-called “Guayana Esequiba State,” which Venezuela illegally purported to “annex” last year.

“Heads of Government underscored that the convening of any such elections in Guyana’s territory would be contrary to general principles of international law, the United Nations Charter, the 1 December 2023, Order of the International Court of Justice and the agreements reached in the Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela.”

CARICOM leaders welcomed the submission by Venezuela of its counter-memorial on 8 April 2024, on the merits of the case regarding the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award , and the submission of the Reply by Guyana on 9 December, 2024. “They encouraged Venezuela to submit its Rejoinder, the final written pleading in the case, on 8 August 2025, in compliance with the Court’s scheduling Order,” the communiqué states.

Although Venezuela has repeatedly stated that it does not recognise the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to determine the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that settled the land boundary with Guyana, Caracas has been so far participating in the proceedings.

Regional leaders reiterated and underscored their unequivocal and unwavering support for the maintenance of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana and for the judicial process before the Court as the means for resolving the controversy peacefully, finally and in accordance with international law.

Guyana moved to the ICJ in March, 2018, asking for a declaration that the 1899 Award is final and binding on both States, after concluding that the 50-year-old United Nations Secretary General’s mediation process had not led to a resolution.

Over the years, Venezuela had seized Guyanese fishing boats and seismic research vessels operating on behalf of American oil exploration companies in waters off the cost of the Essequibo Region. Venezuela also has a history of lodging formal protests with international natural resource companies, against their exploration and exploitation in Essequibo.