International condemnation greeted Venezuela’s statement of 19 September rejecting the “illegal bidding” for oil blocks carried out by the Government of Guyana. The statement claims that Guyana does not have sovereign rights over the maritime areas in international law and demarcation must be carried out in agreement with Venezuela. The statement goes on to warn that Venezuela will apply all necessary measures to prevent the “illegitimate exploitation” of its natural resources. Three baffling questions emerge from Venezuela’s statement. The first is that since the areas have not been the subject of demarcation and that without such demarcation (which, incidentally, Foreign Minister Rodrigues-Birkett requested since 2011, to which Venezuela has remained silent), on what basis is Venezuela laying claim to ownership of these areas? The second is, in the absence of demarcation, on what basis has Venezuela already, in 2015, issued decrees appropriating ownership of the entire maritime areas of Guyana? Thirdly, does Guyana have no rights to its exclusive economic zones recognized in international law? This exemplifies Venezuela’s warped logic, on full display since 1962.
