Venezuela’s National Assembly establishing special committee ‘for defence of Essequibo”; asks UN Secretary General to restart dialogue with Guyana

Last Updated on Saturday, 9 January 2021, 10:57 by Denis Chabrol

Venezuela’s national assembly will establish a special committee for the defense of the Essequibo region of Guyana, which the former nation claims, BN Americas reported.

The committee’s creation is part of an accord approved by lawmakers that rejects the International Court of Justice’s ruling in favor of Guyana regarding the tribunal’s jurisdiction in the territorial dispute.

The accord ratifies a 1966 Geneva agreement to resolve the conflict via bilateral negotiations, as Venezuela does not recognize an arbitral award of October 1899 in favor of its neighbor.

“It is ours; it belongs to the Venezuelans and we are going to reconquer it in peace, in national union, we are going to achieve it,” President Nicolás Maduro said following the legislative body’s decision.

Essequibo covers over half of Guyana and runs from the country’s coast on the border with Venezuela, south to Brazil. Saber-rattling on the part of Venezuela intensified as Guyana advanced toward first oil and included harassment by Venezuela’s navy of vessels carrying out hydrocarbons seismic work.

Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro has written to the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, asking him to intervene to promote  dialogue with Guyana on the border controversy. “It is necessary to count from their good will with their good offices, in the broadest sense possible, to restart, with the urgency that this controversy merits, direct talks between Guyana and Venezuela with the aim of advancing towards a peaceful and beneficial understanding for both. parts “, highlights the communication published by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, reported El Universal.

In the letter, the Venezuelan president warns: “You have the ability to revive dialogue as a way to avoid decisions outside of international legality, which can seriously jeopardize the peace and security of the region.”

The Venezuelan leader said his country never consented to the role of the ICJ in the border matter.