Venezuela Rejects Guyana's Statement Delegitimizing Referendum

On Wednesday, the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Ministry spoke about the statement issued by Guyana that seeks to delegitimize the referendum through which the Venezuelan people will decide on Essequibo region. Below is the text issued by the Venezuelan authorities:

RELATED:

Venezuela Defends Its Sovereignty Over Essequibo: VP Rodriguez

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expresses its absolute rejection of the declaration issued on October 31 by the government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, which is seen as servile to the interests of Exxon Mobil.

This declaration aims to delegitimize the will of the Venezuelan people, who have been called to a democratic and popular consultation to define matters related to their legitimate and historical rights on the territory of Guayana Esequiba.

The unprecedented and unusual request to the International Court of Justice for provisional measures to prevent the consultative referendum on December 3, 2023, lacks legal basis and only demonstrates the desperation of the Guyanese authorities and their disrespect for Venezuela’s sovereignty.

Guyana’s strategy, developed through illegal cohabitation with transnational energy companies, has fundamental objectives of destabilizing the region and fraudulently appropriating territory.

Venezuela will defend itself against these schemes with legal, political, historical, and constitutional arguments, asserting its rights over the Guayana Esequiba territory.

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in line with its historical position, reiterates that the 1966 Geneva agreement, which the Guyanese Government now seeks to disregard, is the only practical and satisfactory means to resolve the territorial dispute between the two countries.

Venezuela calls on Guyana to abandon its erratic behavior contrary to international law and to commit to direct dialogue as outlined in the agreement.