The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is to meet tomorrow on Guyana’s concerns about Venezuelan moving to annexe its county of Essequibo and a mediation role seems to be emerging for the Brazilian President in toning down tensions.
Bloomberg yesterday reported that the UNSC is to meet in a closed-door session in New York at which both Guyana and Venezuela will be given the opportunity to make a presentation.
The UNSC was approached by Guyana after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday announced plans to approve mining in the Essequibo and appointed a military commander for the area among other steps in violation of stipulations from the International Court of Justice on Friday.
Bloomberg yesterday also reported on a likely mediatory role for Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who it says has long tried to position himself as an independent arbiter in global conflicts and now faces the uncomfortable possibility of having to mediate the crisis between Venezuela and Guyana.
Bloomberg said that Lula, a traditional ally of Venezuela’s Maduro and the late Hugo Chavez, spent hours in meetings with his top foreign advisers yesterday to discuss the conflict, considered highly sensitive by Brazil’s diplomacy, the officials said, asking for anonymity because the conversations aren’t public. The officials also said Lula is planning to call the presidents of both countries over the next few days.
Bloomberg said that things could get even more complicated if Vladimir Putin — a close backer of Venezuela’s socialist regime — also steps in amid a possible meeting with Maduro in Moscow this month, the officials said.
One of Lula’s main concerns now, Bloomberg said, is to signal to Guyana and the world that his government isn’t automatically aligned with Caracas despite its political closeness.
“While Brazil understands Venezuela’s reasons to claim Essequibo as part of its territory, it doesn’t have an official position on which country has the right to occupy the region, the officials said.
“More importantly, they added, Brazil doesn’t agree with the strategy employed by Caracas — calling a vote to ask the population, among other things, whether Essequibo should become a Venezuelan state — and much less with Maduro’s timing. His Dec. 3 referendum was widely seen by political analysts as a strategy to rally voters with a nationalistic rhetoric ahead of next year’s presidential elections”, Bloomberg reported.
Meanwhile, the Government of Guyana yesterday said it remains proactive as it continues to speak with world leaders to avoid instability in the region.
“Guyana is a law-abiding country, we believe in the International Court of Justice [ICJ], that is why we’re before the ICJ and we believe the ICJ is where this controversy must be settled, but we are taking every precautionary measure against what is now a desperate attempt to seize our territory,” President Irfaan Ali yesterday told CNN as he discussed his government’s position.
Even as the US yesterday also warned Venezuela against any violence, the President said that government has amplified diplomatic engagements with world leaders, “We are engaging state departments, we are engaging the White House, President Lula (Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) and myself had conversations,” Ali said.
Engagements with the country and department heads was so that they “can weigh in, ensuring that Venezuela does not act in a reckless or adventurous manner,” he posited.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd echoed much of what the President said. “We are advancing our interests with diplomatic channels. The President has been very engaged with foreign ministers and regional institutions over the last 24 hours… the President has made a promise to the people of Guyana that he will explore all options within the international treaties… so that we are safe and protected,” he said.
“The president has spoken to the UN Secretary General and the President and Secretary General of the OAS… the President has been speaking with leaders in the western hemisphere and further afield, all aimed that we remain very proactive,” Todd informed.
The Maduro government continues to violate an ICJ direction that it refrain from any actions regarding the issue until the court rules on the validity of the arbitral award of 1899 settling boundaries between the two countries.
President Ali has denounced the actions but Maduro, who next year is contending again for the Presidency when that country goes to elections, is forging ahead with plans following the referendum’s results and on Monday announced a series of steps.
President Ali has said that the measures announced are in “blatant disregard” of the order given by the ICJ.
Yesterday the United Nations Secretary General reminded Venezuela of the ruling.
“I can tell you the Secretary-General strongly supports the use of solely peaceful means to settle international disputes. He further recalls that pursuant to the charter and to the status of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decisions of the court are binding and he trusts that both states will duly comply with the order from the court,” The Secretary General’s Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric said.
Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs also disclosed that he called Yvan Gill, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela, and made this country’s position known, as he expressed concern over Caracas’ actions.
“I had a telephonic conversation with the Venezuelan Ambassador… and I made very clear our commitments to the rule of international law…”
A statement from his ministry summed up what he had said. “The Honourable Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation today held a telephonic conversation with the Honourable Yvan Gill, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela which was initiated by His Excellency Carlos Amador Pérez Silva, Ambassador of Venezuela to Guyana,” the statement said.
“Minister Todd expressed concern over the recent actions emanating from Caracas over the last 24 hours which were in direct violation of the Order of the International Court of Justice on December 1, 2023. He reiterated Guyana’s commitment to the resolution of the controversy through the ongoing judicial process and encouraged Venezuela to participate in the case before the Court. Minister Todd further reiterated Guyana’s commitment to the respect for international law and the need for the maintenance of peace and security in the region. He encouraged respect for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it added.
According to Reuters, Maduro said he would authorize oil exploration in an area around the Essequibo River, even though the territory is the subject of a controversy with Guyana. This area has always been in control of Guyana and no Venezuela-backed explorer would likely come.
Maduro also said that state oil company, PDVSA, and state iron and steel maker, CVG, will create divisions for the Essequibo region.
The state companies will “immediately proceed to create the division PDVSA Esequibo and CVG Esequibo and immediately we’ll proceed to give operating licences for the exploration and exploitation of oil, gas and mines in our Guayana Esequiba,” he said on state television.
Maduro also said he has proposed a law to the government-controlled legislature to create the new state, and companies already operating in waters in the area would have three months to leave. The latter appeared to be a reference to ExxonMobil’s operations which are however not presently producing in that area.
Guyana, which is currently producing some 400,000 barrels per day of oil and gas, this year received bids for new shallow water and deep water blocks from local and foreign companies in its first international bidding round. The exploration licences for those areas have not been signed but this had nevertheless triggered fierce opposition from Caracas.
Venezuela has grown increasingly hostile in a bid to force Guyana back to the negotiating table over Essequibo, a move Georgetown has ruled out as it is currently before the ICJ on the substantive matter.
In addition to this, Maduro has ordered that a new map that includes Essequibo be dispersed to sectors of the Bolivarian republic.
