PPP backs gov’t decision to defend Guyana ‘by any means necessary’

The governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) this weekend backed plans to defend Guyana “by any means necessary” even as it supports the country’s long standing commitment to diplomacy and international law.

The party’s General Secretary, who is Guyana’s Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Sunday said the 32nd PPP Congress supported Guyana’s historical stance on Venezuela. That is, that the border separating Guyana and Venezuela was clearly defined in the 1899 Arbitral Award.

And despite Venezuela’s attempts to obfuscate that agreement, Jagdeo said the PPP supports the national decision to resolve the controversy once and for all through the process currently unfolding at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“We also committed our full support to the government and we said to the government that we must defend our country by any means necessary- diplomatic means or any means necessary,” Jagdeo told reporters at the closing press conference.

He added, however, that the party does agree that the two states must enjoy “good neighbourly relations” but it remains “uncompromising” on the border and any threats to Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

After respecting the boundary for decades, Venezuela in 1962 rejected the 1899 award and a process was set in motion to resolve its claim.

Talks between the countries over several decades failed to arrive at a solution and the United Nations Secretary General referred the matter to the World Court. Guyana filed its case and it is still before the Court. Meanwhile, Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro have met twice in recent months, hoping to advance neighbourly relations.

The General Secretary said the party is fully supportive of the government’s actions thus far.