Venezuelan Maduro promises to “re-conquer” Essequibo; makes a new presidential decree
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (Photo – @NicolasMaduro Twitter)
Kaieteur News – President of the Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, announced a presidential decree on Thursday, reinforcing the country’s allegation to Guyana’s Essequibo Region and in a tweet he has vowed to “re-conquer” the Essequibo.
Alongside that act, the Venezuelan President announced the same day that he wrote to the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, asking the union to lead direct negotiations between Guyana and Venezuela as an alternative to the ongoing litigation in the International Court. Justice (ICJ).
Maduro said that the Essequibo region had always been in Venezuela territory but had suffered imperial deformation.
In a tweet posted on Thursday, Maduro said “I signed the decree that the Territory for the Development of the Atlantic Front will be established in the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela, which becomes part of the legal, diplomatic and political actions for the protection of our rights for more than 200 years. ”
“That territory belongs to Venezuelan men and women and we’re going to reconcile it.” Maduro said in another tweet, as he called on Venezuelans to support his cause.
Maduro’s call was backed up by a unanimous agreement made Thursday by all political factions in the Venezuela National Assembly that they would fight for the region they call ‘Guayana Esequiba.’
According to Venezuela’s Popular Power Ministry for Communication and Information, the National Assembly made three agreements, which include the formation of a ‘Special Commission for the Protection of Guayana Esequiba Territory and Territorial Sovereignty.’
Maduro also announced in another tweet on Thursday that he had written to the United Nations with the aim of promoting a peaceful alternative to ICJ litigation.
The Venezuelan President said only sovereign provinces can bring us closer to a solution to the debate.
“We reject the ICJ’s decision. We are determined to protect our Essequibo. ”Said Maduro.
The Court, in December, issued a ruling indicating that it had jurisdiction to hear an issue in a border case that Guyana filed against neighboring Venezuela. The decree states that the Secretary-General of the United Nations may choose a method of settlement under Article 33 of the United Nations Charter, which includes a judicial settlement.
Venezuela had long ruled that it preferred direct negotiations and rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction to settle this issue once and for all. After the ruling was passed down, Venezuela declared that it rejected the Court’s presumption of jurisdiction
Guyana’s Government on the Border Adviser, Carl Greenidge, has said he expects the ICJ to take two to three and a half years to issue a ruling settling the issue.