Two vessels with 12 Guyanese aboard are expected back in Guyana’s waters later this week after being illegally detained by the Venezuelan Navy on January 21.
A statement yesterday from Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it had been informed by Caracas that the vessels, Lady Nayera and Sea Wolf were to have set sail for Guyana yesterday.
The statement also disclosed that the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza had told Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Todd “that all legal proceedings had been discontinued at the request of His Excellency (Venezue-lan President) Nicolas Maduro”.
“The Government of Guyana appreciates the efforts of the Heads of Government of the Carib-bean Community and of the wider international community in securing the release of the crew and vessels. His Excellency President Irfaan Ali was tireless in his efforts to ensure the safe and speedy return of the crew to their families”, the statement added.
It said that the Govern-ment of Guyana wished to underscore the “value of mutual respect in the relations between the Coopera-tive Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”.
Speaking to reporters yesterday at an event at Leonora, President Ali said: “I want to take this opportunity to thank all our international partners, CARICOM Heads of Government, and all of our other international partners for adding their voices in a very strong manner on this very important issue.”
The President added that he is “very grateful” for the support. He said that CARICOM was unanimous in its solidarity for Guyana and its statement against the detention of the vessels was strong and direct.
“That CARICOM statement must have had an impact, so too for all the statements from our bilateral partners and our international partners”, he added.
The President said that he is looking forward to Venezuela acting responsibly and hopes that they desist from interfering with fishermen or anyone conducting business within Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which will continue to facilitate economic activities.
He reiterated that once there is a need to speak on any issue, excluding the border matter before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Guyana, as a good neighbour, is ready to communicate.
According to the Minis-try of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the two vessels were intercepted by Venezuelan naval vessel Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24, while operating off the coast of Waini Point at a position of N 80 49’ 06”/ w 590 37’ 40” W.
These co-ordinates they reminded are “well within Guyana’s territory” and therefore the crew members and vessels were illegally detained at Port Guiria, Venezuela.
In an address to the Nation on Saturday, President Ali said that bilateral relations with Venezuela would be on hold until such time as it desists from aggression and immediately releases the fishing vessels and crew members.
“We are committed to bilateral discussions of matters of joint concern such as COVID-19 and Venezuelan migration to Guyana but….these discussions must be preceded by a commitment from Venezuela to desist from aggression and release immediately the vessels and crew,” Ali said during a public briefing on the matter.
The pronouncement was a direct response to an offer made by United Nations Secretary General (SG), Antonio Guterres to play a “good offices” role between Venezuela and Guyana on issues other than the border controversy.
Ali announced during his address that the SG wrote to him on Friday noting that the bilateral relationship between Guyana and Venezuela “is broader than the controversy” and offering his good offices should both the Governments of Guyana and Venezuela wish to avail themselves of his role “to address other important issues”.
Ali stressed that the incursion by Venezuelan armed forces into Guy-ana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the arrest and detention of the crews of Guyanese fishing boats is a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Guyana over its maritime spaces.
Aboard the Lady Nayera are the captain, Richard Ramnarine and his crew: Ramlakan Kamal, Nick Raghubar, Javin Boston, Michael Domingo and Joel Joseph.
On the Sea Wolf are its captain, Toney Garraway and crewmen, Errol Gardiner, Orland Roberts, Christopher Shaw, Shervin O’ Neil and Randy Henry.
The seizure of the vessels in Guyana’s waters came at a time of rising tensions between the two countries related to the ICJ ruling assuming jurisdiction in an application by Guyana for a juridical settlement of the longstanding border controversy with Venezuela.
