As Venezuela heightens its aggressions towards Guyana by redrawing its map and ordering companies out of the country’s territory, the United States of America (USA) has reaffirmed its “unwavering support” for Guyana’s sovereignty.
In a press release issued by the US Department of State, it was revealed that Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken engaged each other following Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s new pronouncements.
President Ali told CNN on Wednesday that Mr. Maduro ‘went beyond’ on Tuesday when he announced administrative measures to annex Essequibo and give investors three months to exit from Essequibo’s exclusive economic zone.
As a result of this direct infringement of Guyana’s sovereignty, the state has engaged the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and has officially written to the UN Security Council on the new developments.
See below full release from the US Department of State:
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Guyanese President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali to reaffirm the United States’ unwavering support for Guyana’s sovereignty.
The Secretary reiterated the United States’ call for a peaceful resolution to the dispute and for all parties to respect the 1899 arbitral award determining the land boundary between Venezuela and Guyana, unless, or until, the parties reach a new agreement, or a competent legal body decides otherwise. Secretary Blinken and President Ali noted the International Court of Justice order issued on December 1, which called for parties to refrain from any action that might aggravate or extend the dispute.
The Secretary reiterated that the United States looks forward to working closely with Guyana once it assumes its non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in January 2024. The two leaders concluded the call by agreeing upon the importance of maintaining a peaceful and democratic Western Hemisphere.
