The Venezuela government says it categorically rejects statements from the new Government of the Guyana about the Venezuelan President’s latest decree and the neighbouring country believes the statements coming out of Guyana “constitutes a provocation and threatens the Bolivarian peace diplomacy.”

“It is unacceptable that the new Government of Guyana assume this position with a territory that is subject to controversy, and is also expressly recognized that this sea area is subject to the amicable settlement of the territorial claims, as envisaged in the Geneva Agreement”.

The Guyana Government on Monday in a strongly worded statement said “Guyana wishes to make it pellucid that Decree No. 1.787 cannot be applicable to any part of Guyana’s territory and any attempt by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to apply that instrument in an extra-territorial manner will be vigorously resisted by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. In light of this Guyana will spare no effort in bringing to the attention of the international community this aggressive and illegal act by Venezuela”

According to the Venezuelan government, Guyana may have created an artificial crisis over the decree that was issued by the President of Venezuela and which highlighted a widening of Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s waters and territory.

Guyana’s President, Brigadier (Rtd) David Granger

“Venezuela regrets that an administrative rule directed to organize, with the assistance of the new technologies of information, daily supervision and maritime security within the framework of its unlimited jurisdiction and constitutional exercise which nothing can affect the Cooperative Republic of Guyana – will be exploited to shock and trying to create an artificial crisis, inventing irrational situations against a brother country like Venezuela, using a highly offensive language”, the Venezuelan government said.

The neighbouring country has stated that the only appropriate channels to resolve this dispute are those of International Law, the Geneva Agreement and continue the Good Officer mechanism under the figure of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

According to the statement, “it is an offense to the libertarian tradition of the people of Simon Bolivar consider imperial clear language that Venezuela is a threat to the region, when, was reflected in the recent Summit of the Americas the unanimous recognition and support of the fraternal peoples of the Venezuelan foreign policy of peace and solidarity.”

But Venezuela continues to object to the presence of the ExxonMobil oil rig in Guyana waters. The statement said that the Venezuelan government notes that “the unique and surprising aggression, is that the government of Guyana has allowed such a powerful transnational as Exxon Mobil venture into disputed territory between the two countries, which in no way seeks to address the right to development of Guyana.”

“It is imperative to remember that thanks to the eternal Commander Hugo Chavez, various programs of cooperation, solidarity and brotherhood such as PETROCARIBE, for stability and energy security of the region were implemented. This policy puts into practice humanistic sublime to the people of Guyana principles, has been of great impact and success for true prosperity of our brother Guyanese people, and President Nicolas Maduro and has been continued. The new Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana exhibits a dangerous policy of provocation against the Bolivarian Venezuela of peace , supported by the imperial power of a US multinational , Exxon Mobil , which must be rectified in the short term.”

According to the Venezuelan government statement, “this unfriendly policy of provocation will be defeated by the force of reality imposed by the foreign policy of peace and friendship between Venezuela and the people of Guyana itself.”

“The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates its desire for peace feelings and the brotherly people of Guyana, and reaffirms the invitation to his Foreign Minister to an early meeting so through political dialogue between brothers , continue along the path of cooperation and overcoming the historical dispute , which had its genesis in fraudulent actions of former colonial powers against Venezuela”

The Guyana government maintains that by the latest decree by the Venezuelan President, the Venezuela government has also created the so-called “Areas of Integral Defense of Marine Zones and Islands,” thus ratifying its maritime sovereignty over the waters of the parts of the Caribbean and off the coast of Guyana. In doing so, it now claims sovereignty over the continental shelf and a projection of the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region of Guyana, and even stretching into part of Suriname’s maritime space.

In March, the government issued a strong message to the Government of Venezuela over Venezuela’s decision to write the Exxon Mobil oil company objecting to its decision to begin drilling for oil in the Guyana waters.

The Government of Guyana had informed CARICOM, UNASUR, the OAS, the Commonwealth as well as the United Nations Secretary General about this recent action by Venezuela. Venezuela continues to claim some parts of Guyana’s territory as its own although settlement on the issue was completed decades ago.

The Guyana Defence Force has since made it clear that it is ready to defend Guyana against any intrusion by Venezuela.

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