Opposition, govt in disunity on tackling Guyana-Venezuela border dispute

Last Updated on Friday, 16 May 2025, 17:25 by Denis Chabrol

– protests failure to hand over chairmanship of Foreign Relations Committee
– remains resolute against Venezuelan aggression, ‘sham’ elections; supports ICJ, Guyana Defence Force

The Guyana government is yet to hand over the chairmanship of the House bipartisan Foreign Relations Committee and has effectively shunned all opposition offers to map a united strategy to repel Venezuela’s claim to the Essequibo Region, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton said Thursday.

Mr Norton accused President Irfaan Ali of breaking his promise at a meeting they held on handing over the chairmanship of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs to Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Amanza Walton-Desir.

The Opposition Leader said no committee meeting was held, even as the Guyana government was seeking opposition support for the holding of countrywide concerts and a parliamentary motion.

He dismissed as “ridiculous” the Guyana government’s invitation to a concert at a time when Venezuelans are seeking to hold an election purporting to have governors in Essequibo.

“It makes absolutely no sense. It is ridiculous,” he said.

“Up until now, no action has been taken to hand over the foreign affairs committee, yet you now come seeking our assistance and cooperation. We do not intend at all to provide you with the opportunity for optics. We want genuine involvement if we are to confront the problems facing the people of Guyana, especially as they relate to the Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy,” Mr Norton said.

The Foreign Relations Committee has hardly ever met under the chairmanship of Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd, despite repeated calls by Ms Walton-Desir especially during incidents of heightened aggression by Venezuela.

Parliament Office says sectoral committees, in the exercise of their responsibilities, have the power to examine all policies and administration for each sector to determine whether the execution of Government policy is in consonance with the principle of good governance and in the best interest of the nation.

Despite refusing the opposition’s participation in “optics”, the Opposition Leader maintained that with its position on the Arbitral Award of 1899 that settled the Guyana-Venezuela border matter, Guyana would win its case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the validity of the award, and Venezuela must not be allowed to hold “so-called” legislative and gubernatorial elections in Essequibo.

“We denounce Venezuela’s so-called elections in Essequibo. There can be no such elections. No Guyanese should be voting or be allowed to vote in such an election. Such elections are a violation of international law and we support the actions to be taken to ensure that there are no elections held in the Essequibo which belongs to Guyana,” he said.

Guyana plans to arrest any Guyanese who participates in such an election and charge them with treason, a crime punishable only by death.

Mr Norton said the opposition supports Guyanese soldiers in their quest and efforts to protect Guyana’s territorial integrity, even as he hoped that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was given more resources.

“We are deeply concerned that the government has no plan to ensure Venezuela is kept at bay,” he added.

The GDF has in recent years acquired more coast Guard vessels, including a United States-made Offshore Patrol Vessel, aircraft and technology to boost its domain awareness.

A France-made Offshore Patrol Vessel is expected to be added to the Coast Guard fleet.

The Opposition Leader said due to the failure of the government to take action on a number of “clear things” and opposition “proposals” on critical national issues, including a public relations campaign, contained in a parliamentary-approved motion on the Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy, the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) opposition would not be lending its support anymore to the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration.

“We cannot continue to support a government that is inactive on the Guyana-Venezuela territorial controversy and seems to only come alive when Venezuela acts up. That is unacceptable. As the opposition, we have continuously given our support to the government but the government refuses to engage the opposition,” he added.

The APNU+AFC said unless government demonstrates that it would involve the opposition concretely in its plans to deal with Venezuela, there would be no opposition involvement in cosmetic actions.

In the light of the foregoing, we will continue our support for the people of Guyana in this controversy with Venezuela, but let it be made very clear that any future cooperation or assistance to the government on this issue will come only after the government engages and recognizes the role of the opposition in this country,” he said.

Venezuela’s recent forms of aggression included the holding of a purported referendum that sought to annex Guyana’s Essequibo Region, deployment of a military vessel to the Stabroek Block in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and armed civilian attacks on Guyanese soldiers on duty on the Cuyuni River bordering both countries.

Six GDF soldiers were wounded in February.

None was injured, since, in three separate attacks within the past seven days.