The Venezuelan government has rejected last Friday’s ruling by the International Court of Justice, which established the Court’s jurisdiction to hear Guyana’s case on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award which settled the border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela.

In a statement, the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Venezuela will continue its claim.

The Venezuelan government continues to reject the Court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter declaring that the World Court is incapable of reaching a practical and satisfactory settlement.

Venezuela believes the best way to address the problem is through friendly negotiations.

The Venezuelan government said that by the Court deciding that it possesses jurisdiction over the validity of the 1899 arbitration award based on Guyana’s unilateral claim, it believes “the ICJ commits an incomprehensible and unusual error, not only in terms of the consent not given by Venezuela to said jurisdiction, but by admitting a object of dispute other than the substantial object of the dispute, as defined by the 1966 Geneva Agreement”

The Government of Venezuela also issued a call on Venezuelans to unite in face of the ruling as the country maintains its claim over Guyana’s Essequibo region.

The International Court of Justice on Friday ruled that it has jurisdiction to entertain Guyana’s case against Venezuela on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award which outlined the land boundary between the two countries.

By a majority of 12 to 4, the Court established its jurisdiction in the matter that was taken before it in March 2018 by Guyana.

With the Court establishing its jurisdiction in the matter, it will remain open to Venezuela presenting arguments before the Court in the case. Venezuela has maintained that the Court lacks jurisdiction and while it did not make oral arguments in the hearing on jurisdiction, it did file documents to support its position.

Related posts:

ICJ rules it has jurisdiction in Guyana case against Venezuela over border controversy International Court to rule next Friday on jurisdiction to hear Guyana’s case against Venezuela Guyana asks ICJ to move ahead with border case as Venezuela continues to not recognise Court’s jurisdiction Guyana files documents with International Court showing jurisdiction in Venezuela border row