Venezuela’s decision to create a new state in Guyana’s Essequibo region violates orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and as such, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, says that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) can intervene in the situation.
On April 3, the Nicolas Maduro-led government in Venezuela promulgated a new “Organic Law for the Defense of Guayana Esequiba”, a move that Guyana believes signals Venezuela’s latest attempts to annex its Essequibo region.
Guyana also believes that this move violates World Court orders handed down in December. The World Court said Venezuela must not take any action over Guyana’s Essequibo region.
Now President Dr. Irfaan Ali requested a meeting at the level of the Security Council to discuss Venezuela’s transgressions and what actions are needed.
The private meeting was convened Tuesday afternoon, April 09, under the “threats to international peace and security” agenda item after Guyana requested the meeting in the April 05 letter from President Ali to the Council.
Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča briefed the meeting and Venezuela was expected to participate in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
There has been no official word on the outcome of the meeting but the Attorney General said Guyana expects the backing of the Council, which it is part of as of January 2024.
“We are hoping that positive actions will arise from the UNSC’s consideration of the matter.
“That law and the actions taken by Venezuela in enacting by Venezuela violates the interim measures granted by the ICJ last year, and it is the UNSC that has the mandate of ensuring compliance with orders issued by the ICJ,” Nandlall explained during his weekly ‘Issues in the News’ programme.
The Security Council is one of six principal organs of the United Nations; it is tasked with maintaining world peace and security. The body has five permanent members: the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, and ten other non-permanent measures that serve for two years.
Guyana is currently serving a two-year term on the council.
Outside of actions that could stem from the UNSC meeting, Nandlall was keen on pointing out that Venezuela’s aggression has garnered and will continue to garner much condemnation.
For him, countries and bodies around the world believe that Venezuela’s actions “strike at the heart of international law, global peace and stability” instead of being just a mere affront to Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The Spanish-speaking nation claims the Essequibo region which is about two-thirds of Guyana’s territory though the 1899 Arbitral Award established the boundaries between the two countries as they are known today.
Venezuela has been intensifying its claims and upping its aggressions through attempts to annex Guyana’s territory even though there is a border controversy case before the ICJ, and despite commitments made in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to cease any actions that will threaten regional peace and security.
no one can save us only ourselves, do the right thing for peaceful settlement.,do you know what happened in the 17th century ,then let’s settle 50-50 not land but sale of resources and remove western provocation of war which never ends from time immemorial.