By Isanella Patoir
Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn on Friday said the move by Venezuela’s parliament to create a new state covering Guyana’s Essequibo region is “highly regrettable” but said Georgetown will continue to rely on its international partners.
“We want to applaud and rely on the support of our partners in the region and further afield – the U.S., UK and European Union and all other states that has supported us, especially Brazil,” Minister Benn said at a high-level summit of the Regional Security System (RSS) being held in Georgetown.
The move by the Venezuelan Parliament is not expected to have any immediate practical effect and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had pledged, in meeting with President Irfaan Ali facilitated by CARICOM and observed by the United Nations and others, not to use force against Guyana.
But Benn expressed concern that “independent actors” could try to act on the development in the Venezuelan legislature.
While Maduro last month again committed to peace, exchanging pleasantries at a recent meeting in St Vincent with other leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Venezuelan Parliament Thursday went ahead and ratified the outcome of last December referendum.
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn (Photo: DPI)
The Guyanese government, Benn said, was “unhappy” with the latest move by Venezuelan to claim territory Guyana has owned and exercised sovereignty over since an arbitral award was handed down in 1899.
“This is highly regrettable,” Benn added.
Venezuelan authorities have claimed that 10 million people voted in the referendum but the results of have not been released and news agencies reported that there were few, if any, voters at polling stations.
Since the eve of Guyana’s independence in 1966, Venezuela has claimed the Essequibo region. After decades of talks failed, the United Nations Secretary General referred the matter to the International Court of Justice for a full and final settlement.
Guyana says it will stick to the legal route for the settlement of the controversy and last year sought protection at the Court. The Court ruled that Guyana has governed the Essequibo territory since 1899 and no action should be taken to change that until it rules.
Minister Benn says Guyana expects that it will be “vindicated through that process” at the court.
Minister Benn further stated that Guyana provides support to more than 30,000 registered Venezuelan migrants and “we still view Venezuelan as our cousins.”
