The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has announced that its Prime Minister and Interlocutor of the Argyle Declaration between Guyana and Venezuela, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has traveled to Venezuela to meet with Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, on the tensions with Guyana over the border controversy.

In a statement this morning, the St. Vincent Government stated that Dr. Gonsalves is expected to meet with Mr. Maduro this midday after traveling to Venezuela last evening.

According to the statement, Prime Minister Gonsalves spoke with President Irfaan Ali on Monday, urging calm and restraint and for both parties to return to diplomacy.

The statement said the Prime Minister also cautioned that an escalation into open conflict could devastate both nations economically and socially, and destabilized the entire Latin America and Caribbean region, potentially leaving the region with a humanitarian and refugee crisis.

He advised both parties to resolve the matter so it does not lead to any open conflict.

Tensions between Guyana and Venezuela escalated two weeks ago after an incursion by a Venezuelan naval vessel in Guyana’s waters.

During that incursion, the military vessel sailed to the oil ships operating within Guyana’s waters and questioned the Captains via radio about their presence in the area, their activities and the number of people on board. The officials aboard the Venezuelan naval vessel also falsely claimed that the oil ships were operating within Venezuelan waters.

Guyana was forced to dispatch sea and aerial surveillance support, and the Guyana Government alerted the international community to the threatening incident.

In an address to the nation hours after the incursion was first reported, President Irfaan Ali stated that the incident was a serious escalation by the Maduro Government.

The US, UK, CARICOM, The Commonwealth and the OAS were quick in their condemnation of the Venezuelan Government and its actions.

Prime Minister Gonsalves in a statement of his own indicated that it is clear that the oil ships are operating within Guyana waters. However, he also said he believes tensions will remain between Guyana and Venezuela even after the International Court of Justice hands down a ruling on the case before it that was filed by Guyana.

That case is seeking to confirm the validity of the 1899 settlement of the border dispute.

In December 2023, President Irfaan Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro met in St. Vincent at the Argyle International Airport.

Following the discussions between the two Presidents, the Argyle Declaration was issued stating that that they will not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances, including those that are consequential to any existing controversy between the two.

In December 2023, the International Court of Justice also handed down provisional measures in the case before it which essentially blocks Venezuela from taking any action that could change the current situation in the Essequibo region.

In its unanimous decision handed down in The Hague, the Court ordered that Venezuela refrains from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the Essequibo, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over that area. The International Court also ordered both Guyana and Venezuela to refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before
the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.

Guyana has complained that since then, Venezuela has flouted both the Court order and the Argyle Declaration by continuing with its claims of the Essequibo, planning Governor Elections for the Essequibo and having its military vessel illegally enter Guyana’s waters.

President Ali has already indicated that he will not meet with the Venezuelan President in wake of those actions by Caracas.

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