Amsterdam, 20 april 2025– The long standing territorial dispute over the South American border region, named Essequibo, which is claimed by Venezuela, escalated into a crisis not too long ago. Fears are, it is escalating even faster, now that China tries to play its part and interferes.
The dispute dates back many, many years and the current border was established by the Paris Arbitral Award in 1899.
The Venezuelan Boundary Dispute officially began in 1841, when the Venezuelan Government protested alleged British encroachment on Venezuelan territory. In 1814, Great Britain had acquired British Guiana (now Guyana) by treaty with the Netherlands.
Guyana’s Foreign Ministry rejected a statement by China’s Chargé d’Affaires Huang Rui, urging Georgetown and Caracas to resolve their border dispute over the Essequibo region through friendly negotiations, despite stressing that China “never intervenes in the internal affairs of other countries.”
Guyana insisted the matter was before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as decided by the UN Secretary-General under the 1966 Geneva Agreement, and will not engage in discussions outside the ICJ’s jurisdiction.
The ministry also criticized China for not addressing Venezuela’s plan to hold elections on May 25, 2025, for a governor and legislative council in the Essequibo, which Guyana views as a violation of its sovereignty.
Guyana upholds the 1899 arbitral award, while Venezuela cites the 1966 Geneva Agreement for a negotiated solution.
The dispute, intensified by oil discoveries, remains a point of contention, with Guyana urging China to respect its territorial integrity and international law.
The Guyanese Foreign “Ministry reminds the Government of the People’s Republic of China of the position made christal clear on several occasions by the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana that the matter is pending before the International Court of Justice by decision of the United Nations Secretary General, in accordance with the parties’ 1966 Geneva Agreement on settlement of the controversy,” Georgetown said in a statement.
“The Argyle Declaration of December 14, 2023, recognises ‘Guyana’s assertion that it is committed to the process and procedures of the International Court of Justice for the resolution of the border controversyÖ.,” it added.
“To that end, and in order not to undermine the jurisdiction or authority of the Court as the appropriate forum for the resolution of this controversy, Guyana will not engage in discussion of any matter that has been brought before the Court,” the declaration further noted.
Georgetown also underlined that Beijing remained mum regarding the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela’s intentions “to conduct elections on 25 May 2025 for a governor and legislative council of ‘Guayana Esequiba State’, which is the name Venezuela has given to Guyana’s Essequibo region.
This is a clear violation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Guyanese Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud warned that China “needs to be principled in its position to respect Guyana’s territorial integrity and not to appease Nicolas Maduro’s serial violation of international law.”
