Indigenous People Reaffirm Venezuelan Sovereignty over Esequibo

In the context of the consultative referendum with which the Venezuelan people reaffirmed their sovereignty over the territory of Guayana Esequiba, a video went viral on social networks showing indigenous people of the Pemón ethnic group raising the Venezuelan flag in the Sierra de Paracaima mountain range.

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Days before, in another point of the same mountain range, the president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, made a defiant act by raising the flag of his country in Essequibo territory.

In this Paracaima mountain range of the Guiana massif, composed of the characteristic plateau-shaped elevations or tepuis, the Pemon Indians claimed that the Essequibo territory belonged to the Venezuelan geography, raising the yellow, blue and red national tricolor, with eight stars.

Respectfully, before raising the Venezuelan flag, the indigenous residents of the area near Santa Elena de Uairén, in the state of Bolívar (southeast of Venezuela), lowered from the flagpole the Guyanese flag that had previously been raised in the place.

The Pacaraima Mountain Range extends from west to east for more than 800 kilometers. Its highest peak is Mount Roraima, at 2,810 meters above sea level, a Venezuelan tepui surrounded by cliffs 300 meters high.

This act of patriotism and sovereignty coincided with the celebration of the Essequibo referendum, in which more than 90% of Venezuelans voted Yes in the five questions asked to the population.

The President of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Elvis Amoroso, presented this Monday the results of the referendum on the Guayana Esequiba held on Sunday, December 3.

Following are the results for each question:

First question: do you agree to reject, by all legal means, the fraudulent imposition of the Paris Arbitral Award of 1899 that intends to dispossess us of our Guayana Esequiba?

Votes for the YES: 10,193,142 with 97.99%.

NO Votes: 209,600 with 2.01 percent

Null votes: 29,165

Second question: Do you support the 1966 Geneva Agreement as the only valid legal instrument to achieve a practical and satisfactory solution for Venezuela and Guyana in relation to the dispute over the territory of Guayana Esequiba?

Votes for the YES: 10,200,364 with 98.26 percent

Votes for NO: 181,122 with 1.74 percent

Null votes: 50,416

Third question: Do you agree with Venezuela's historical position of not recognizing the jurisdiction of the International Court of Territorial Justice to resolve the territorial dispute over Guayana Esequiba?

Votes for YES: 10,900,932 with 96.31 percent.

Votes for the NO: 383,433 with 3.69 percent

Null votes: 38,542

Question 4: Do you agree to oppose, by all legal means, Guyana's attempt to unilaterally assert control over the ocean pending delimitation, illegally and in violation of international law?

YES Votes: 10,012,068 with 96.34 percent

Votes for NO: 380,877 with 3.66 percent

Null votes: 380,877

Question 5: Do you agree with the creation of the state of Guayana Esequiba and the implementation of an accelerated plan for the integral attention of the current and future population of that territory, which includes, among other things, the granting of citizenship and Venezuelan identity card, in accordance with the Geneva Agreement and International Law, thus incorporating said state to the map of the Venezuelan territory?

Votes for YES: 9,948,430 with 96.33 percent.

Votes for the NO: 378,551 with 3.67 percent

Null votes: 104,928