Venezuela Rejects Commonwealth Secretary General’s Interference

The Venezuelan government rejected on Thursday the statements made by Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland, meddling in the country's internal affairs. 

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Patricia Scotland, questioned the content of the referendum on the Essequiba Guiana territory to be held on December 3 and expressed her support for the preservation of Guyana's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Caracas said, in a communiqué released by Foreign Minister Yván Gil through X site, that such remarks are aimed at "contributing to the intentions of the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil to promote a process of destabilization in the Caribbean region."

A "demonstration of the bad faith with which such statements are issued" is the affirmation by the Commonwealth that the "Venezuelan presidential elections would be held one month after" the referendum," the statement reads.

The Venezuelan government denounced Mrs. Scotlant's attempts to "confuse the international community and manipulate public opinion."

The tweet reads, "Venezuela strongly rejects the statements issued by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Mrs. Patricia Scotland, which constitute an act of shameful interference in the internal affairs of Venezuelans and seek to confuse the international community and manipulate public opinion regarding the democratic and popular consultation on the territory of Essequiba Guiana."

In the communiqué, the Foreign Ministry said that it is unacceptable to question the country's sovereign decisions. Venezuela is a sovereign country, with a solid democracy and the call for popular consultations, "in matters of special national interest, is one of the attributions of the National Assembly," it said. 

It also reiterated that the "only way to address" the dispute with Guyana is the Geneva Agreement, signed in 1966 between "Venezuela and the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which states that the solution must be agreed in a practical and mutually satisfactory manner for the parties."

President Nicolás Maduro has made multiple calls to establish a direct diplomatic dialogue with Guyana, recalls the text adding that these attempts have been "deliberately ignored by President Irfaan Ali, who has preferred to escalate the situation, involving the U.S. Southern Command, which constitutes a threat to peace in the region."

The text also states that Venezuela has publicly denounced "the reckless conduct of the Guyanese government" in granting licenses for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in a large maritime zone pending delimitation.

Such a move "constitutes a violation of International Public Law," said the Venezuelan government, warning that "the necessary political and diplomatic actions will be taken for its prompt reversal."

The South American country will hold on December 3 a referendum on the Essequibo territory, in which more than 20 million citizens will be able to participate. The referendum campaign will begin on November 6 and will end two days before the vote.