Ali tells UN General Assembly Venezuela’s “threats” to Guyana continue with “spurious territorial claim”

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“57 years after Guyana’s independence, we remain threatened,” President Irfaan Ali said, steering out into the ether of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “I regret to inform you that Venezuela’s threats continue. Just last night, Guyana received a very threatening message from Venezuela,” President Ali told the 78th UNGA, during his address to the body today.

“Guyana considers this a threat to regional and international peace and security, as well as to Guyana’s investment partners. We demand that Venezuela honors its obligation under the Charter to pursue only peaceful means to settle any disputes it may have with Guyana,” Ali told the Assembly.

On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, the Venezuelan Government issued a statement rejecting Guyana’s ongoing oil auction. The statement released by Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry states that “the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, strongly rejects the illegal bidding round for oil blocks currently carried out by the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana (Blocks for tender for 2022 – Guyana Licensing Round), since it intends to have maritime areas pending delimitation between the two countries.”

Yesterday on the sidelines of the Assembly Ali in a statement said, “The Government of Guyana reserves the right to pursue economic development activities in any portion of its sovereign territory or any appurtenant maritime territories. Any unilateral attempt by Venezuela to restrict the exercise by Guyana of its sovereignty and sovereign rights will be wholly inconsistent with the Geneva Agreement and the rule of international law”.

In today’s address President Ali told nations around the world, “Adherence to the rule of law, including international law, must continue to be the cornerstone of all of our engagement. This is being undermined by threats and naked acts of aggression against sovereign states and by the perpetuation of old conflicts and disputes between states,” speaking to the Russian almost two-year-long aggression against Ukraine, but certainly thinking of matters lapping at his borders.

Today in a statement, Guyana’s Parliamentary Opposition, ‘A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change’ (APNU+AFC), said it fully supports the Government of Guyana with regard to its response to the Government of Venezuela.