GUYANA has done a lot of hard and productive work spread over a number of decades, with respect to the claims being made on Essequibo by Venezuela.
In more recent years, the Government of Guyana has intensified diplomatic efforts at advancing this process, including international litigation for full and final settlement of the controversy.
This week, we heard of the appointment of the local version of a ‘Border Czar’ with plans for increased manning of border zones and beefing up security, no doubt, to help fortify signals of Guyana’s commitment to its territorial integrity.
Guyana has also pursued stronger and deeper relationships with the US, which produced an unwavering commitment to use its world-beating military might to defend Guyana against any armed incursion by Venezuela.
Though there may have been some ethical questions with the way Venezuela’s president Nicholas Maduro was removed from power, the incident was definitely a positive for Guyana. Positive in the sense that it immediately cooled the intense aggression, breaches of international law and the circumventing of border-settlement agreements perpetrated by Maduro against Guyana.
Since the incident, there was uncertainty in Venezuela about the future trajectory and shape of their government. That uncertainty extended to their foreign relations with the USA and their approach to the Guyana issue, so much so that the proverbial cat stole Caracas’ tongue.
The USA has since said it would rather not pursue regime change and has pledged to work with Delcy Rodriguez in exchange for economic and diplomatic co-operation. This position by the US has calmed the nerves of Caracas, which still has an identical political structure.
Now that the dust has settled, everything else is beginning to return to their old form. They continue to exile opposition figures; they continue to persecute ordinary citizens; they continue to misdirect public funds and they have not altered one iota towards Guyana.
I had written in this column that Guyana should bombard the US, every chance it gets, to place on the US-Venezuela agenda, a requirement for Caracas to cease its aggression towards Guyana and commit to awaiting the outcome of the case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
I do not have any knowledge, nor have I read any reports about Guyana putting this request to the US. We know that a US lobbying firm was hired to address our relations with Venezuela in Washington, but nothing to suggest that this specific task was assigned to the lobbyist.
It appears as though a combination of the US pledge to defend Guyana militarily and the removal of Maduro together with the airtight case before the ICJ, Georgetown seems to have a quiet reserve.
The edge of sharpness and the loud affirmations which had reverberated around the world seem to have waned. The diplomatic aura, political vibe and general national ambience relating to Venezuela seem to be in a recliner of comfort, the proverbial Berbice Chair.
Throughout the ordeal and periods of diplomatic uncertainty, Venezuela has not abandoned a single Maduroian policy towards Guyana, they simply just lay low for a while. Though not back at the Maduro level, Rodriguez seems to be slowly escalating. Her latest foray occurred within recent days on her visit to Grenada. Rodriguez proudly wore a large, colourful lapel map of Venezuela which included Essequibo as part of its territory; an unmistakable, aggressive diplomatic statement.
This was her first state visit and travel outside Venezuela; she knows the eyes of the world and the cameras of the international media would be trained on her; her statement was loud.
Georgetown should’ve kicked up such a stink that should disturb the world. I am not a fan of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago, but we all could agree that when she has an issue, no matter how misplaced or unpopular, she is loud about it, the epitome of kicking up a stink.
President Ali has to demand from Grenada an explanation for hosting Rodrigues while she was actively and demonstrably displaying aggression towards Guyana, a fellow Caricom member. President Ali is now a man of stature and standing in Caricom and the international community, he should piggy back on this popularity to extract every ounce of diplomatic flesh from Venezuela.
Protest letters are not sufficient. Guyana ought to have, by now, trigger emergency meeting of CARICOM leaders. We have unwavering support on the border issue from Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar, we can also piggy back on her loudness.
I believe there were several missed opportunities this past week to protest loudly. While the Guyanese delegation was in Port of Spain, this issue should have been pointedly raised; first with the Prime Minister, and then with the T&T private sector.
Principals in Guyana should have also sought to have the issue raised during recent encounters with US diplomats and the Head of the US-EXIM bank.
The Grenadian Prime Minister cannot be allowed to sleep as easily as he is being allowed to right now. The level of accountability should be demanded of him right now should make any other leader in CARICOM very, very circumspect when entertaining any Venezuelan delegation.
CARICOM leaders need to give a commitment that any map of Venezuela referencing any part of Guyana should be strictly forbidden anywhere in CARICOM. Regional leaders cannot take the non-interventionist route. They must affirm international law and demand that Caracas follow the rulings of the ICJ and desist from any form of escalation.
The Guyanese opposition is loud about all manner of issues for which they are wholly ill-informed, but extremely silent on this issue. Parliamentary opposition parties, in their own right, have political legitimacy to write directly to Caribbean heads of government and CARICOM to put pressure on leaders of the region to rebuff this form of aggression.
The Guyanese media is also silent, no front-page story or screaming headlines. It appears that both Caracas and St George’s have gotten a free pass on this blatant disrespect to our national territorial interest, CARICOM regional integration interest and international law. It is time to read the riot act.