The Vice President of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, read a statement from the Government of Venezuela, where she ratifies her adherence to the Geneva Agreement signed in 1966 to settle the territorial dispute over the territory of Guayana Esequiba, while celebrating the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to review fraud committed by the United Kingdom in the arbitration award of Paris of 1899.
“Venezuela celebrates that the incidental sentence of the Court today validates our arguments: firstly, by recognizing that the illegal and fraudulent conduct of the United Kingdom of Great Britain can be reviewed and secondly because it makes clear the existence and validity of the The Geneva Agreement of 1966, the only valid instrument to settle this territorial dispute”, states the statement issued this Thursday.
The Venezuelan official stressed that the country “does not recognize the judicial mechanism as a means of resolving the aforementioned controversy because it excludes the nature and purpose of this agreement.”
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will exhaustively evaluate its implications and will adopt all the measures at its disposal to defend its legitimate rights and territorial integrity,” he said.
Likewise, it reiterated that the Geneva Agreement “is the only valid and current instrument to resolve the dispute over the territory of Guayana Esequiba, through political negotiations for the sake of a practical and satisfactory solution for both parties.”
Next, they call for national unity “in defense of the historical and territorial legacy of our Father Liberator Simón Bolívar and in compliance with the constitutional values of peace, integrity and sovereignty in the strictest respect for International Law.”
Below is the full text of the Communiqué:
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has taken note of the incidental decision, of historical connotation, issued by the International Court of Justice today, regarding the preliminary objections presented by our country against the unilateral claim of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on the validity of the arbitral Award of October 3, 1899.
For the first time in its history, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela attended the International Court of Justice in defense of its sovereignty and territorial integrity over Guayana Esequiba. In June and November 2022, Venezuela demonstrated with rigorous, forceful and abundant documentation, the fraudulent mechanisms used by the United Kingdom of Great Britain to seize its territory.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain was the State that, since 1840, forged maps and set up a stratagem to perpetrate the fraudulent arbitration committed against Venezuela in Paris in 1899. The United Kingdom was finally the one that signed and committed itself to the Geneva Agreement in 1966 to find a practical and mutually satisfactory solution to the territorial dispute.
Venezuela celebrates that the incidental judgment of the Court today validates our arguments: firstly by recognizing that the illegal and fraudulent conduct of the United Kingdom of Great Britain can be reviewed and secondly because it makes clear the existence and validity of the Agreement of Geneva in 1966, the only valid instrument to settle this territorial dispute. It is worth noting that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela does not recognize the judicial mechanism as a means of resolving the aforementioned dispute, since it excludes the nature and purpose of this agreement.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will exhaustively evaluate its implications and adopt all the measures at its disposal to defend its legitimate rights and territorial integrity.
Venezuela reminds and reiterates to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana that the 1966 Geneva Agreement is the only valid and current instrument to resolve the dispute over the territory of Guyana Esequiba, through political negotiations for the sake of a practical and satisfactory solution for both parties. .
The Bolivarian Government of Venezuela summons all the Venezuelan people to the national union in defense of the historical and territorial legacy of our Father Liberator Simón Bolívar and in compliance with the constitutional values of peace, integrity and sovereignty in the strictest respect for Law International.
The Sun of Venezuela is born in the Essequibo!
“God grant victory to perseverance.” Simon Bolivar.
Caracas, April 6, 2023
