Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez addressing the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. Photo: X/@ViceVenezuela.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez stated this Wednesday before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, that Guyana has become an aggressor state that de facto occupies a territory that does not belong to it.
Rodríguez issued her statement during the public hearing before the ICJ in which Venezuela presented its arguments to defend the holding of the consultative referendum throughout Venezuela regarding the Essequibo territory dispute.
In her speech, the vice president confirmed that the government of Mohamed Irfaan Ali in Guyana has become an aggressor state. At the same time, she condemned his administration for attempting to evade international law after not recognizing the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
“All this abhorrent and illegal behavior has shown the true colors of Guyana—an aggressor state, a predator of natural resources, and a violator of international law—in no way a victim,” Rodríguez said.
#EnFotos || Durante su intervención, recordó que “de acuerdo con la resolución 2.131 de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas, ningún Estado tiene derecho de intervenir directa o indirectamente y sea cual fuere en los asuntos internos o externos de cualquier otro”. #15Nov pic.twitter.com/gDNQH2Pjtw
— Vicepresidencia Vzla (@ViceVenezuela) November 15, 2023
Delcy Rodríguez said that Guyana blatantly distorts the truth and attempts to pose as a victim to prevent the holding of the consultative referendum in Venezuela scheduled for December 3.
She warned that the government of Guyana reproduces the imperial and colonialist arrogance of the United Kingdom and the United States. However, Venezuela reaffirms its repudiation of this reckless action that seeks to interfere in the country’s internal affairs.
“They have a false desire to portray themselves as defenseless sheep and show Venezuela as an aggressor state that prevents their development and threatens stability and regional peace. That argument is completely removed from reality,” she said.
The VP also clarified that Venezuela’s participation in this public hearing does not imply recognition of that Court in relation to the Essequibo dispute, mentioning that the 1966 Geneva Agreement does not recognize the ICJ jurisdiction in this controversy. The agreement also stipulates that any peaceful resolution mechanism chosen to resolve the dispute should be result from a mutual understanding.
Venezuela at the International Court of Justice to Defeat Guyana’s Judicial Colonialism
She reiterated that Guyana has always put its institutions and territory at the service of the powers that wish to destroy Venezuela. Therefore, it has delivered oil and gas concessions in a territory pending delimitation.
“Guyana intends to transgress the international order and promote a change in the Venezuelan political system with an interventionist and reckless action that seeks to instrumentalize the Court to apply legal colonialism,” Delcy Rodríguez said.
Finally, she pointed out that the government of Venezuela has developed a doctrine of not subjecting third parties to decisions in the settlement of disputes involving vital interests.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
