A man in Caracas walks in front of a mural of a map of Venezuela including the Essequibo territory, Wednesday, 29 November, 2023. Photo: Matias Delacroix/AP.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—The Venezuelan government issued a statement condemning the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) position on the Guyana-Venezuela conflict over the Essequibo territory. A CARICOM communique was released on May 29 after the conclusion of its 27th Meeting of the Council on Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) held in Roseau, Dominica.
In the statement released this Friday, May 31, the Venezuelan government questioned CARICOM’s tendency to frame Venezuela as an aggressor while hiding the numerous warmongering actions taken by the Guyanese government following the interests of Washington and oil corporation ExxonMobil.
“The Foreign Ministers received an update on recent developments on the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. They noted that despite the 1 December 2023, Order of Provisional Measures made by the International Court of Justice and the Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela, agreed to by the parties on 14 December 2023 – with substantial regional support, Venezuela continued its aggressive posture towards Guyana. They noted that following the promulgation of the organic law by the Government of Venezuela on 3 April 2024, to annex more than two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, this issue was brought by Guyana to the attention of the United Nations Security Council which reminded that both parties were obligated to comply with the Order of the Court. Ministers also noted Guyana’s concerns over the continued military build-up by Venezuela on the border between the two countries,” reads the CARICOM statement.
#Comunicado 📢 Venezuela rechaza el Comunicado emitido por la Comunidad del Caribe (CARICOM) de fecha 29 de mayo de 2024, sobre la conclusión de la 27a Reunión del Consejo de Relaciones Exteriores y Comunitarias (COFCOR), en particular lo relativo a la Controversia… pic.twitter.com/i6hDKNQ0FN
— Yvan Gil (@yvangil) May 31, 2024
In response, Venezuela reminded the regional bloc that among “the warlike actions promoted by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana” in recent months by “forging alliances with the United States Southern Command, the oil company ExxonMobil and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).”
Below is the unofficial translation of the Venezuelan government statement:
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela condemns the Communiqué issued by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on May 29, 2024, the conclusion of the 27th Meeting of the Council on Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), regarding the Guyana-Venezuela conflict, which promotes the malicious and distorted trend of presenting Venezuela as an aggressor nation.
The government of Venezuela deplores CARICOM’s biased position and reminds this organization of the continuous warlike actions promoted by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana by forging alliances with military and intelligence entities such as the Southern Command and the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States, which not only point to the preparation for aggression against our country, but also constitute a flagrant violation of the agreements established in the Argyle Declaration for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela, signed in San Vincent and the Grenadines, on December 14, 2023, in which it was agreed, among other things, that both countries would not threaten or use force against each other.
The history of visits to Guyana by senior US officials specialized in military, security, and intelligence areas is a trend that has deepened in recent months. During these visits, interventionist statements and threats have been made against Venezuela, which is conclusive evidence of the dangers that the US war machinery looms over the Caribbean region, with the consent of the government of Guyana.
Washington Escalates Pressure Against Venezuela on the Essequibo Front
By ceding its sovereignty to the North American power and the voracious desire of Exxon Mobil, Guyana unfortunately promotes regional instability in addition to threatening the Zone of Peace that represents Latin America and the Caribbean, as established by the Community of Latin American States and Caribbean (CELAC).
As Venezuela has stated, Guyana, unilaterally and in contravention of international law, has granted and continues to grant oil exploitation licenses in territorial waters pending delimitation with Venezuela, which has become the greatest threat to regional security and peace.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela urges Guyana not to deviate down the path of confrontation and to comply with the only possible path for a practical and satisfactory solution to the controversy over Guayana Esequiba, which is none other than the process of direct dialogue established in the Geneva Agreement of 1966, the only binding instrument for both parties.
The Venezuelan sun rises in the Essequibo
Caracas, May 31, 2024
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SF
