2023-12-29 22:51:36
The United Kingdom government demanded that Venezuela cease what it described as “unjustified actions” against the former British colony of Guyana due to the territorial claim for the sovereignty of Essequibo.
London, in additiondefended the current territorial demarcation that would annul Caracas’ claim. The litigation once again ignited concern in the region, particularly Brazil, which has mediated between the two countries.
The conflict gained a new escalation by the sending of a British warship to the area. The Chavista regime announced defensive military maneuvers throughout the region. But London maintained that that ship, the HMS Trent, will not touch the coast of the Caribbean country but will be parked in the sea off Guyana as part of “a series of routine maneuvers” in the Caribbean.
It is a River Batch 2 class high-altitude patrol vessel that entered service in August 2020, a ship specialized in the fight against piracy, smuggling and terrorism equipped with cannons and heavy machine guns. At the same time, the Kingdom defended the current territorial demarcation that leaves the rich disputed region of Essequibo within the borders of its former colony.
The dispute is in the hands of the International Court in The Hague, which depends on the United Nations, but Venezuela has said that it does not recognize its jurisdiction. This Friday, the Venezuelan vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, led the regime’s reaction in this duel by maintaining that her country is preparing a “timely and legitimate response to the threatening behavior” of London.
A frigate of the Venezuelan navy, near the sea in dispute with Guyana, this Friday. Photo: AFP
Warning from Caracas to London
“Venezuela strongly repudiates the interference of the United Kingdom in the territorial dispute over Guayana Esequiba (the name that Caracas gave to that eventual province that it intends to annex). The United Kingdom must remember that it devised the fraudulent award of 1899 to steal the Essequibo, whose only historical owner has been and will continue to be Venezuela, and is also a signatory of the 1966 Geneva Agreement,” he asserted through social networks.
Great Britain reproached Venezuela’s actions against Guyana as “unjustified.””. A Foreign Office spokesperson defiantly added that “the border between the two countries was agreed in 1899 through international arbitration and we continue to support the territorial integrity of Guyana, an important regional ally and Commonwealth partner.”
The British government insisted that its ship will not dock in any port in Guyana and stressed: “We are working with partners in the region to avoid an escalation and will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
The Essequibo, a region rich in oil disputed by Venezuela and Guyana. Photo: AFP
The new British Foreign Minister, David Cameron, made his country’s position clear in a message on social networks on December 18 to support the visit to Guyana made by his Secretary of State for the Americas, David Rutley.
“David Rutley’s visit demonstrates unequivocal British support for our Guyanese friends. Sovereign borders must be respected wherever they are in the world,” Cameron wrote.
The “defensive action” launched by Nicolás Maduro
Maduro ordered what he called “defensive action” with the maneuvers in the Atlantic Ocean of all its armed forces, a movement that alerted Brazil among other powers in the region.
The Chavista president maintains that the arrival of the British HMS Trent is an “unacceptable threat” that represents a “rupture” of the agreements he signed with his Guyanese counterpart, Irfaan Ali, on December 14, when they committed not to threaten each other and avoid incidents related to the dispute.
The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, at an event in Caracas, this Friday. Photo: EFE
He also criticized that Guyana has ignored Caracas’ requests not to accept the arrival of the British ship to its coasts or territorial waters.
The dispute grew after Venezuela approved on December 3, in a unilateral referendum, to annex the area under dispute, an area of almost 160,000 square kilometers that is under the control of Guyana and is currently being discussed by the International Court of Justice.
Although the media observed that there were almost no voters in that consultation, the regime said that 10 million voters participated, which it described as broad support. So he appointed a military governor and ordered oil companies in the area to leave.
Brazil recognized this Friday its worry for the new escalation that puts their mediation efforts at risk and asked to avoid military demonstrations in support of the parties so that the dialogue process gives results.
In a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Brazilian government reminded both countries of the commitment “not to use force or the threat of the use of force”, as well as to “avoid incidents” or “unilateral measures” that could lead to a escalation of the conflict situation, as stated in the “Argyle Declaration for Dialogue and Peace”, signed in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Brazil believes that “military demonstrations of support for either party should be avoided, so that the underlying dialogue process can produce results.”
The statement from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry highlights that the Argyle Declaration constitutes “a milestone in efforts to peacefully address the issue.”
The issue of territorial demand, which is an old Venezuelan issue, was suddenly updated by the Chavista regime in very complicated political moments for Maduro’s continuity in power.
The leader will seek a new re-election in 2024, but is under strong international pressure to make the elections transparent, that is, without fraud, which would make it very difficult for him to defeat the opposition favorite, Maria Corina Machado, whom the regime keeps banned. The use of the Essequibo flag would seek to generate nationalist fervor that would result in an increase in support for the Chavista leader to maintain repression against the opposition and eventually suspend the election.
Source: agencies and Clarín editorial team
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