As of Friday, December 1, 2023, at 10:25, according to Denis Chabrol, the International Court of Justice has decreed that Venezuela is prohibited from taking any actions to seize Guyana’s Essequibo county, as per the outcome of its December 3 referendum.
The court has established the following provisional measures:
- Unanimously, until a final decision is reached in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela must refrain from undertaking any actions that would alter the current situation in the disputed territory. This pertains to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana’s administration and control over that area.
- Unanimously, both parties are obligated to abstain from actions that could worsen or extend the dispute before the court, making its resolution more challenging.
The court underscores that the validity of the 1899 Award and the associated matter of conclusively settling the land boundary dispute between Guyana and Venezuela are issues to be determined during the merits stage.
Additionally, the court reminds that Guyana has sought measures to prevent the exacerbation of the dispute with Venezuela when specifying provisional measures to preserve specific rights.
Maduro must understand that there is international law that he should abide by. We are living in the 21st century, and bullying does not work.
Special Reporter , Georgetown , Guyana.