Guyana Wants World Court To Confirm Border With Venezuela

News Americas, THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Weds. July 1, 2020: Guyana may be embroiled in its own election fiasco, but it took time out Tuesday to urge the world court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to confirm the border between Venezuela and the then-colony of British Guiana once and for all.

The dispute goes back over a century and relates to a 159,000 plus kilometer-squared piece of land that makes up two thirds of Guyana’s territory– the Essequibo region.

A demarcation line was laid down in an 1899 arbitration and resettled in 1966. But Venezuela has maintained its claim on the country’s land through many administrations.

Guyana’s representative before the court Tuesday was Sir Shridath Ramphal, who in his virtual presentation, maintained that a juridical settlement of this matter is the only recourse remaining as Guyana has exhausted all other measures including those provided for in the 1966 Geneva Agreement.

Venezuela did not respond as it is not participating in the proceedings. It argues the ICJ does not have jurisdiction.