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Venezuelan FM slams Ukraine over Essequibo remarks

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen English
27 May 2025 06:25

Venezuela slams Ukraine over Essequibo comments, denouncing NATO-aligned interference and reaffirming its historical claim to the disputed region.

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Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on September 25, 2024. (AP)

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto strongly condemned remarks made by Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, which voiced support for Guyana's territorial claims over the Essequibo region and criticized Caracas for holding elections in the area. In a scathing response, Gil rebuked Ukraine's position, accusing Kiev of serving NATO interests and having no moral standing to comment on Venezuela's internal matters.

"A country governed by a madman who has sown hatred, racism, and crime; who dragged his people into an aggression promoted by foreign powers against Russia and turned his territory into a war zone in service of NATO, has no moral authority to speak on Venezuela," Gil wrote.

The Venezuelan top diplomat underscored that Essequibo is “historically Venezuelan” and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly, accusing him of trying to push Guyana into the same destructive path as Ukraine. "Neither the Zelensky over there, nor the Zelensky of the Caribbean will be able to take from Venezuela what rightfully belongs to it," Gil added. “The sun of Venezuela rises in the Essequibo!”

This comes after Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement denouncing Venezuela’s referendum and labeling it “illegal,” calling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a "dictator" whose actions mirror the "destruction" caused by his ally, Russia.

The diplomatic clash adds to escalating tensions surrounding the Essequibo region, a vast, resource-rich territory long claimed by Venezuela but administered by Guyana. In recent years, Caracas has intensified its campaign to reclaim the region, citing historical documents and agreements dating back to the colonial period.