Venezuela slams Guyana, regional groups for 'promoting hostility' over border

DESPITE sharp condemnation from Guyana and the international community, including the US, Venezuela continues to defend its actions regarding the latest maritime incident in the disputed Essequibo region.

On March 2, Venezuela defence minister Gen Vladimir Padrino Lopez issued a statement saying that the national armed force (FANB) categorically rejects the statements made by Guyana president Dr Irfaan Ali on the incident that occurred "in waters pending delimitation...

"It is imperative to remember that the aforementioned dispute has a valid legal instrument in force, deposited in the General Assembly of the UN, which governs its practical, political and satisfactory solution: the Geneva Agreement," Lopez said.

"Therefore, Guyana has no legal basis or legitimacy to unilaterally dispose of a space where it cannot exercise sovereignty or jurisdiction."

Ali had denounced what he called an incursion, alleging a Venezuelan Coast Guard (CG) vessel entered Guyana's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on the morning of March 1.

The vessel then approached the offshore platform Prosperity FPSO (floating, production, storage, and offloading).

Guyana news outlet News Source shared an audio of the alleged exchange between a representative onboard the CG vessel and the captain of the FPSO via radio. The speaker claimed the FPSO was operating in Venezuela's EEZ.

Shortly after Ali made the public announcement of the dispute, the US Department of State accused the Venezuelan naval vessel of threatening workers of the US-based oil and gas giant ExxonMobil's FPSO.

Lopez also accused the Guyanese government of allowing the exploitation of hydrocarbons in violation of international law, condemning what he referred to as "the imperialistic actions" of companies like ExxonMobil, which he claims are backed by North American interests.

"FANB rejects the biased and partial positions assumed by some regional organisations, which, far from contributing to the solution of the dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, constitute themselves prophets of disaster by promoting hostility and warlike policies," Lopez said.

"Faced with these incessant attacks, the armed institution, faithful to its anti-imperialist nature, prepares itself in perfect popular military-police fusion to respond to any threat and preserve the territorial integrity and peace of the Republic."

On January 10, a statement from the US State Department listed Lopez as a wanted man and offered a US $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

The department cited his alleged involvement in drug trafficking operations.

The statement added that Lopez was indicted by a US (District of Columbia ) federal grand jury in May 2019 on charges related to the distribution of cocaine.

The statement added, "After (Nicolas) Maduro declared victory in the July 2024 presidential election despite evidence to the contrary, Maduro purported to reaffirm Padrino Lopez as his minister of defense."

It said the US government neither recognised Maduro as the election winner nor Lopez as a minister of the government of Venezuela.

Several countries and organisations, including Caricom and the Organisation of American States (OAS), have already pledged their support to Guyana.

Newsday contacted Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne for comments and he referred all questions to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Acting Prime Minister Stuart Young told Newsday: "Trinidad and Tobago's position is that we fully support Guyana's sovereignty, and we advocate for and encourage the application of, and abide by the Argyle accord."

No further information was given.

Commonwealth secretary general Patricia Scotland KC also reinforced Guyana's position and condemned Venezuela.

A statement on March 2 echoed Ali's "alarm" that a Venezuelan vessel had entered Guyana's maritime waters and approached lawfully operating assets.

"The Commonwealth secretary general has condemned this action in the strongest possible terms and urged the international community and the Commonwealth family to continue to support Guyana," the statement said.

The statement also praised Guyana's response, saying it exhibited restraint and responsibility by engaging in diplomatic actions to address the crisis.

"This recent action by Venezuela runs counter to the spirit of the Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela, signed on December 14, 2023, where both states agreed to use international law and diplomatic means to address the controversy and to refrain from escalating the conflict," the statement said.

Scotland called on Venezuela to respect international law and adhere to the unanimous Order on Provisional Measures of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of December 1, 2023, which provided that, pending the Court's final decision.

She cited promises made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting in Apia, Samoa, in October 2024, when leaders unanimously pledged to resolve the matter thoroughly using its binding legal judgment.

The statement added that CHOGM had also reaffirmed the Commonwealth's unswerving support for the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.