The Int’l community is demanding that Venezuela release Guyanese fishermen

Venezuelan border provocation

… Condemns abusive acts in the OAS Permanent Council

By Jarryl Bryan

Several countries on the Permanent Council of the American Provinces of America (OAS ‘) condemned Venezuela’s recent acts of aggression against Guyana, and called for immediate release of Guyanese fishermen in Venezuela.
During a virtual Permanent Council meeting, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, Riyad Insanally, informed the council of Venezuela’s recent actions. According to Insanally, Venezuela’s President Nicholas Maduro’s actions, including the recent decree repeating that country’s illegal claims, are disturbing.
Insane, who also serves as Guyana’s Ambassador to the United States, the Permanent Council informed that Venezuela’s actions pose a threat to security in the entire region. He informed the Council that the Venezuelan ship that detained the fishermen was moving illegally in Guyana’s Unique Economic Zone (EEZ). The diplomat also noted that Venezuela’s decision to insist on its illegal claims to Guyana territory by using force is regrettable.
“It is a matter of regret that Venezuela has chosen to resort to the unilateral use of military force to assert its maritime claims, which Guyana considers to be totally unfounded, rather than honor its commitment under the 1966 Geneva treaty to resolve the debate in a peaceful and binding manner. approach, ”said Insanally.
The diplomat also took the opportunity to urge Venezuela to accept the jurisdiction and ruling of the World Court, as he surely did, and cited Guyana’s dependence on the international community for support. Several countries registered their dissatisfaction with Venezuela.

Stop aggressive behavior
Trinidad Representative to the OAS, Anthony Phillip-Spencer, reiterated Caricom’s statement on the controversy. He also read a statement from Trinidad’s Foreign Minister Amery Browne, who had called the Venezuelan Ambassador for a discussion on the matter.
Antigua and Barbuda Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Ronald Sanders, also expressed concern over Venezuela’s actions of detaining Guyanese fishermen. Sanders, of Guyanese descent, threw his support behind the Caricom declaration and the OAS statement, and called for an end to Venezuelan aggression against Guyana and the immediate release of the fishermen.
“The Antigua and Barbuda delegation joins other Caricom Governments and indeed the OAS Secretariat to call for an end to any Venezuela-related aggression against Guyana, and want Venezuela to release the civilian crew and ships they now detain at once.
“Furthermore, we are reminded that the border between Guyana and Venezuela was settled 121 years ago by the 1899 arbitration of distinguished jurists, and was accepted by all parties, including Venezuela, as a full and final settlement. And that continued until the threshold of Guyana’s independence, ”said the diplomat.
Sanders noted that the matter is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where it belongs. He therefore urged both sides to pursue a resolution of the dispute through the ICJ.
Meanwhile, U.S. Representative to the OAS, Bradley Freden, condemned the seizure of fishing vessels and called for immediate release of crew members. Expressing similar sentiments were Brazilian, Belizean and Canadian missionaries.
“The United States condemns the seizure and detention of two Guyanese fishing vessels on January 23 by the Maduro regime navy. And we call for the immediate release of Guyanese vessels and crew.
“The United States supports a peaceful resolution to the maritime border debate. We welcome the December 18 ruling on the jurisdiction of the ICJ, and will continue to follow this case closely, ”said Freden.

Peaceful decision
He also urged Brazil’s OAS Representative, Ambassador Fernando Simas Magalhães, to resolve the territorial dispute of Guyana and Venezuela peacefully.
According to him, it is important for both sides to avoid provocative acts.
“The Brazilian Government reaffirms its commitment to favor a peaceful resolution of the territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, underlining the principle of respect for territorial integrity within the framework of international law, and the need for parties to avoid any action that would ‘ n endangering peace and security in the region, ”he said.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Representative Gustavo Tarre Briceno sought to defend his country when he had the opportunity to address the OAS Permanent Council. He said Venezuela had a right to defend its ‘territory’. According to him, other methods of conflict resolution should be resorted to, besides the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
However, he rejected Tarre’s intervention madly, and reminded Guyana’s provision of humanitarian aid to Venezuelan refugees fleeing that country’s economic crisis, and made it clear that Guyana’s friendship should not be abused.
“We have given refuge and supper to tens of thousands of Venezuelans who have fled their country, at great cost but without any complaint, in the spirit of a good neighborhood and as the decent humanitarian thing to do. However, we will not stand for any abuse of our friendship. Mr. Tarre’s way is not the way to make friends. ”
The Permanent Council is one of the two main political bodies of the OAS, the other being the General Assembly. The Permanent Council is vigilant for maintaining friendly relations among the member states, and for that purpose, effectively assists them in the peaceful settlement of their disputes.
This is not the first time the OAS Permanent Council has met to discuss the Venezuela that has become entangled in it. Nicholas Maduro’s regime effectively withdrew from the organization in 2019, but, through Tarre, the nominee of Venezuela’s acting President Juan Guaido, Venezuela retains a presence in the OAS.

Caricom insists
Meanwhile, the Caribbean Community (Caricom), in a statement of its own, urged the Venezuelan Government to immediately release crew members and ships, insisting that Venezuela refrain from its undermining acts of aggression stability of the Region.
“Caricom expresses grave concern at the escalation of tensions between Guyana and Venezuela caused by the interception and detention of two Guyanese fishing vessels in the Guyana Unique Economic Zone on January 21, 2021,” said the regional bloc.
“Recalling his statement of January 12, 2021 in which he firmly denied any acts of aggression by Venezuela against Guyana, Caricom urges Venezuela to respect Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and refrain from acts of aggression that will undermine peace and safety is serious. not only from Guyana and Venezuela but the entire Caribbean region. ”

Venezuelan aggression
The Permanent Council meeting comes just days after two Guyanese-registered vessels and fishing crew consisting of a total of 12 men, operating off the coast of Waini Point in Guyana’s Unique Economic Zone (EEZ), were intercepted by the Venezuelan naval ship Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24.
In fact, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that a Venezuelan ship was illegally sailing within and adjacent to Guyana’s EEZ zone when it intercepted and boarded the ships, whose captains were instructed to charter a course to Port Guiria, where they were taken into custody.
According to the Ministry, the Guyana Government was not informed of the detention of its nationals, contrary to established norms.
The crew of one of the ships, Lady Nayera, includes Captain Richard Ramnarine and crew members Ramlakan Kamal, Nick Raghubar, Javin Boston, Michael Domingo and Joel Joseph. Toney Garraway is the captain of the other ship, the Sea Wolf, and her crew are Errol Gardener, Orland Roberts, Christopher Shaw, Shirvin Oneil and Randy Henry.
They have all been brought to court in Venezuelan, and reports indicate that they would be held in custody for about 45 days, pending an investigation.
The detention of the two ships comes on the heels of the recent presidential decree of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, which reinforced his country’s illegal assertion of Guyana’s Essequibo region.