Today’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, was also the President of Guyana from 1999 to 2011. Photo: Office of the President (Guyana).
Guacamaya, March 7, 2025. The Vice President of Guyana reaffirmed his government’s position regarding the territorial dispute with Venezuela over the Essequibo region, emphasizing that Venezuela’s appointment of a governor for this area constitutes a violation of the resolutions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Argyle Treaty.
In recent statements, Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana’s Vice President, asserted that “Venezuela is in a weak position” in the litigation before the ICJ. Additionally, he described comparisons made by President Irfaan Ali to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “childish tantrum,” suggesting that such comparisons aim to influence U.S. support for Guyana.
Over the weekend, Venezuelan authorities referred to the President of Guyana as the “Zelenskyy of the Caribbean” in a statement from Venezuela’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Georgetown insists that the ICJ has jurisdiction over the dispute and that its decisions are binding for both parties. On the other hand, Caracas maintains its stance of not recognizing the ICJ’s jurisdiction and advocates for a negotiated solution to the controversy.
In this context, Guyana maintains that Venezuela’s election of a governor for the Essequibo is illegal. The Guyanese government is confident in the strength of its position before the ICJ.
Tensions between the two countries persist amid the ongoing legal process. This situation unfolds against a backdrop of increasing tensions between the two nations over the sovereignty of the Essequibo territory, which is rich in natural resources and holds significant geostrategic importance.
On Wednesday, a Venezuelan navy patrol boat entered waters that are still to be demarcated, where Guyana is already exploiting oil reserves.
