AP
—
The highest court of the United Nations Organization (UN) ordered Venezuela on Thursday to refrain from holding elections from officials who would allegedly supervise the Esequibo, an area rich in resources in the Guyana neighbor that both countries claim as their own.
The ruling of the International Court of Justice of the Netherlands is produced at the request of Guyana, which accused Venezuela of violating a previous sentence when planning to hold elections on May 25 to choose a governor and other officials who will administer the Esequibo region.
The president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, expressed his satisfaction for the ruling.
“Once again, Guyana’s position prevailed,” he said.
Venezuela’s press office did not respond so far to a message in search of comments.
The Esequibo region represents two thirds of Guyana and is rich in gold, diamonds, wood and other natural resources. It is also located near huge oil deposits on the high seas, with a current average production of about 650,000 barrels per day.
The dispute between the South American neighbors for the Esequibo began more than a century ago, when an international court drew in 1899 the border between them.
In 2018, Guyana went to the International Court of Justice and asked the judges to keep the ruling of 1899.
The case is still pending in court while tensions between the two countries continue to increase.
At the end of 2023, the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, threatened to annex the region by force after celebrating a referendum in which he asked the voters if the Esequibo had to become a Venezuelan state.
Days later, the Caribbean leaders, who were joined by Brazil and the UN, celebrated an emergency summit in which Guyana and Venezuela agreed to refrain from the use of force.
But the territorial dispute was still unresolved, and tensions have continued to increase since the summit.
In March, the president of Guyana denounced the foray of an armed ship of the Venezuelan Navy in dispute waters that house an important oil site on the high sea exploited by Exxonmobil.
The vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, refuted Ali’s claims and described the oil facilities of Exxonmobil as “illegal”.
The Venezuelan government issued a statement on Friday by saying that it does not recognize rulings of the International Court of Justice after the UN Most Court ordered the Latin American country to refrain from making elections on the Esequibo, the territory in dispute with Guyana.
“Venezuela confirifies that, faithful to its historical position, it will never recognize or recognize the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice or abide Yván Gil on Telegram.
