Venezuela’s Foreign Minister working on the release of early-caught Guyanese fishermen
Kaieteur News – Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has vowed to follow the early release of Guyanese fishermen, vessels kept in Venezuela for the past five days.
This is the latest development in the government’s efforts to release the 12 Guyanese fishermen and their ships from the custody of the Venezeulan authorities.
The men and their ships have been detained since last week on Thursday despite calls from the Guyana Government for release.
Since their detention, Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Todd has engaged in virtual dialogue with his Bolivian counterparts.
In a recent press release, Todd contacted a virtual meeting with the Venezuelan Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs over a periodic.
He noted that Arreaza was committed to pursuing the early release of the men, the Guyana Foreign Ministry noted.
“The Foreign Ministers exchanged views in the context of the detention of ships and crew,” the statement added.
The Venezuelan Foreign Minister assured that crew members were treated with the utmost respect for their human rights, the statement added.
Earlier on Monday, Todd sent a note of protest to Venezuela authorities. Todd summoned the Chargé d’A Affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy, Mr Moses Chavez, to hand over the protest note from the Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Venezuela Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The protest note firmly condemns the detention of the captains and crews of registered Guyanese fishing vessels, Lady Nayera and the Sea Wolf and calls for their immediate release.
Minister Todd used the opportunity to voice his concerns on the issue; he said, “the act coming out of Caracas is spotless.” The Minister added that on both latitude and longitude both ships were well within Guyana territory. ”
The Foreign Minister highlighted the regional peace zone and called on Venezuela to act in a manner consistent with the rule of international law. He reiterated Guyana’s commitment to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a means to end the Guyana / Venezuela border dispute.
On Thursday, January 21, 2021, the two ships were intercepted by Venezuelan naval ship Commandote Hugo Chavez GC 24, while operating off the coast of Waini Point at a position of N 80 49 ’06 ”/ w 590 37 ’40” W. Government of Guyana uses all diplomatic channels to ensure safe return of crew and ships to Guyana.