Venezuela has filed its Rejoinder in the 1899 Arbitral Award case, in which the Government of Guyana has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to uphold the validity of the award that sets the boundaries between the two countries.

Guyana was notified of Venezuela’s submission by the ICJ with the Court explaining that it was done within the time-limit fixed by the Court in its June 14, 2024 order.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Guyana welcomes the submission by Venezuela.

“Guyana welcomes the filing of the Rejoinder by Venezuela, which ensures that the Court will have before it all the factual and legal arguments of both Parties when it issues its final Judgment, rendering it fully authoritative and incontestable,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

It explained that the Rejoinder is in response to Guyana’s reply, filed in December 2024, and constitutes the final written pleading in the case.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said “in accordance with its standard procedures, the Court, upon returning from its summer recess, will schedule oral hearings on the merits of the case, to be followed by its deliberations and the issuance of its final Judgment, which will be binding on the parties under international law.”

Throughout its arguments before the Court, Guyana has maintained that the 1899 Arbitral Award is valid, and ought to be respected by Venezuela. Guyana has repeatedly pointed out that Venezuela for more than 60 years accepted the Award, and it was not until the eve of Guyana’s independence, that the Spanish speaking country rejected the Award, in its attempt to lay claim to two-thirds of Guyana’s territory in the Essequibo Region.

However, Venezuela on two occasions sought to have the case dismissed by the Court, filing two separate objections. Those objections were rejected.

Today, the Foreign Ministry said Guyana remains steadfastly committed to the peaceful resolution of the controversy in accordance with international law by the ICJ – the world’s highest and most respected judicial authority.

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