Venezuela, Guyana agree to avoid violence to settle Essequibo
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A meeting in Brazil is expected to occur within the next three months to "consider any matter with implications for the territory in dispute" and establish a joint commission with foreign ministers and technical persons to tackle the dispute.
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This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency shows Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro with Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali in Saint Vincent and The Grenadines on Dec. 14, 2023. (AFP)
According to a joint statement by Guyana and Venezuela on Thursday, the use of force and threats to settle the disputed Essequibo territory will be averted to resolve matters of conflict within international law, such as the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
Published by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the statement said, "Guyana and Venezuela, directly or indirectly, will not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances, including those consequential to any existing controversies between the two States ..."
It was "agreed that any controversies between the two States will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement dated February 17, 1966," the statement added.
Tensions have escalated between #Venezuela and #Guyana as the territorial dispute over #Essequibo has resurfaced.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 4, 2023
Here's the history of the dispute between #Caracas and #Georgetown. pic.twitter.com/FX45hY35Ov
A meeting in Brazil is also expected to happen within the next three months, as agreed by both sides, to "consider any matter with implications for the territory in dispute" and establish a joint commission with foreign ministers and technical persons to tackle the dispute.
Read more: Guyana: A crushing victory of the Venezuelan people
A downward spiral gone upwards
In a diplomatic effort to address the ongoing territorial dispute with Guyana, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro held phone discussions on Sunday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves.
The talks resulted in Caracas agreeing to a meeting with Georgetown over the disputed territory, according to a statement released by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry on Saturday.
"In these conversations, a proposal was received to hold a high-level meeting with the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, which will be announced in the coming days, with the purpose of preserving our aspiration to maintain Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, without interference from external actors, in accordance with the agreements reached by both countries within the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said in a post on X.
