With Venezuela not backing down from its planned referendum on Guyana’s Essequibo region, the Government continues to intensify its public information and education campaign on the controversy.

At a public rally in Anna Regina, Essequibo on Sunday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, made it clear that Guyana will not surrender to Venezuela’s threats.

Mr. Jagdeo told the large rally that all of Guyana is united against Venezuela adding that Essequibo has always been part of Guyana, and it will remain that way.

“Venezuela will never succeed, will never succeed in changing our boundaries. Venezuela will not succeed in its imperial designs on Guyana, because if they were to succeed—and we cannot allow them to succeed then no boundary and border in the world will be safe,” VP Jagdeo says.

Mr. Jagdeo told the gathering that the border matter was settled for over six decades, and Venezuela’s claims are false and dangerous.

“No country in the world supports Venezuela, they would be totally isolated and maybe Maduro think this is Crimea where Russia annex part of a territory there and they had some international condemnation and he believes that he can be emboldened to do that in Guyana without consequence, well, he will be miscalculating, the entire diplomacy of our country is geared towards keeping out allies strong,” Mr. Jagdeo pointed out.

The Vice President told those gathered that Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has written the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guiterres asking for the Good Offices process and dialogue between the two sides to be restarted.

Mr Jagdeo made reminded that the process has long moved forward.

“Because whether Venezuela attends or not, whether they present their case or not, the International Court of Justice will hear the matter to its conclusion and they will rule on this matter and we believe we have a strong case, that would let to the upholding of the 1899 award,” the Vice President said.

The Vice President said he is convinced that the upcoming referendum is related to Venezuela’s weak case on the border controversy.

Both the Government and the Opposition have been hosting public meetings on the controversy.

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