Guyana appeals to ICJ for “clear”, final, binding judgement to avoid Venezuela from continuing Essequibo claim

Last Updated on Friday, 8 May 2026, 12:35 by Denis Chabrol

Optimistic that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would rule that the 1899 Arbitral Award settled the land boundary, Guyana on Friday appealed to that United Nations (UN) judicial body to deliver  “clear”, final and binding decision that would prevent Venezuela from sustaining its demand.

“If the court accepts Guyana’s arguments, as we are confident that it will, then it is essential that the court’s judgment directly, explicitly and unambiguously affirms the validity of the 1899 award in its integrity and the boundary which it established, and elucidates the ineluctable legal consequences which flow therefrom any ambiguity or qualification in the court’s judgment will inevitably be seized upon by Venezuela as a basis for continuing to lay vast swaths of Guyana’s sovereign territory,” Attorney General Anil Nandlall said in Guyana’s penultimate arguments to the World Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

Guyana’s Agent to the ICJ, Carl Greenidge, in wrapping up Guyana’s oral arguments, asked the ICJ to order that Venezuela leaves that part of Ankoko Island, which is part of the boundary award, but has been occupied by the Venezuelan military since 1966.

Mr Greenidge said requested the ICJ to deliver a decision that would be “valid and binding” on Guyana and Venezuela that the boundary established by the award and the 1905 agreement is the line between the two South American countries.

Such a decision, Mr Greenidge, said should state that Guyana enjoys full sovereignty over the territory, and Venezuela is under an obligation to fully respect Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the boundary established.

In light of its failure to comply with the ICJ’s orders set out in December 1, 2023 and May 1, 2025, he also asked the ICJ to further order in its decision to withdraw from any part of Guyana’s territory as defined under the award, including the part of Ankoko Island, refrain from asserting or purporting to exercise sovereignty over any part of Guyana’s territory and from taking any actions that violate Guyana’s sovereignty or territorial integrity as defined in the award.

Mr Greenidge also reiterated a call made  by Guyana’s legal team that the court should order Venezuela to revoke by means of its own choosing all measures, including laws, decrees, and any other act that purport to annex, administer, or control any part of Guyana’s territory, or that was otherwise enacted or taken in violation of the provisional measures ordered by the court.’

In particular, he said Venezuela should be ordered to repeal the legislation which purports to incorporate Guyana’s sovereign territory within Venezuela and the legislation which purports to extend Venezuela’s legislative, executive, and judicial jurisdiction to that territory; dissolve any entity to which Venezuela has attributed powers over Guyana’s territory, such as the High Commission for the Defense of Guayana-Esequiba, as well as all other executive, legislative, and administrative agencies created to exercise such powers.

Guyana, according to its agent to the ICJ, also wants that court to order Venezuela to terminate the social care plan for the population of Guyana- Esequiba and any ongoing census of the population of Guyana’s territory, as well as all military activities conducted in furtherance of Venezuela’s attempt to exercise sovereignty over, annex, administer, or control any part of Guyana’s territory.

Further, he said Venezuela must be ordered by the court to cease publicly claiming or teaching its people that the award is a nullity or the outcome of a fraudulent process, or that Venezuela was wrongly deprived of the Essequibo Region, and withdraw from all public institutions and facilities, revoke and destroy any map depicting any part of Guyana’s territory as defined by the award as part of Venezuela.

Venezuela will deliver final oral arguments next Monday.