Maduro Asks Guyana to Cease Provocations in Territorial Dispute

On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro asked the Government of Guyana to cease provocations regarding the dispute over the Esequiba Guayana territory. 

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Maduro referred to comments made by Guyana's Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who said that "the time is over" for a negotiation on the matter.

During an act of the National Union in Defense of the Essequiba Guayana at the Teresa Carreño Theater in Caracas, Maduro called such comments "arrogant" and "reckless," noting that Phillips was "offending and provoking Venezuela.

"Venezuela is not a country of cowards, we are a country of peace, but willing to defend its historical rights, its own rights," Maduro said and urged "to respect Venezuela, Prime Minister of Guyana. No more offenses, no more provocations." 

The tweet reads, "Let no one be confused! Venezuela has never accepted the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for these 3 reasons; first, we have the historical position of non-recognition of the ICJ by all governments since 1945 to date; second, the Geneva Agreement requires that the option of the court must be signed and approved by the Venezuelan State; and third, the Statutes of the Court require States to recognize the jurisdiction in any circumstance or difference. Powerful and very powerful reasons!"

The Venezuelan president also referred to the referendum scheduled for December 3, which will be held despite Guyana's reckless action in its unprecedented claim to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which declared itself competent to decide on the matter.

"Our people will decide, sovereignty and democratically, their future, their destiny. I believe in Venezuela, I believe in our homeland. Let us unite above differences and our homeland will be great," the president said. 

The day before, the Guyanese Prime Minister expressed in an extraordinary session of the country's Legislative Assembly his confidence in the process being carried out by the ICJ in relation to the Essequibo. The session concluded with a motion to reject the referendum in Venezuela.

Caracas launched on Monday the "All Venezuela" campaign for the "five times yes" in next month's referendum, consisting of five questions on Venezuela's historic over the Essequibo territory.  A national mobilization marked the beginning of the campaign for the referendum, in which more than 20 million citizens will be able to participate.