GEORGETOWN – The Guyanese government is forcefully reaffirming the nation’s sovereignty over the Essequibo region amid an escalating territorial claim by Venezuela. In a high-stakes diplomatic offensive, President Irfaan Ali’s administration this week garnered broad international backing after Venezuela’s controversial move to lay claim to the oil-rich Essequibo, which comprises nearly two-thirds of Guyana’s land. “Our borders are inviolate,” President Ali declared, condemning a December referendum in Venezuela that asserted rights over Essequibo as “null, void, and illegal.”

The crisis has been brewing for months. Venezuela’s government, under President Nicolás Maduro, intensified its longstanding claim by holding a unilateral referendum late last year purporting to annex Essequibo. Guyana’s response was swift and uncompromising. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the referendum as a flagrant violation of international law and has filed urgent protests with the United Nations and the Organization of American States. “Guyana will not be bullied into surrendering one inch of territory,” Foreign Minister Hugh Todd said in a statement, noting that the 1899 arbitral award establishing the current boundary remains the legal authority.

Support for Guyana’s position has poured in from around the globe. CARICOM, the Caribbean Community, quickly issued a declaration firmly backing Guyana’s territorial integrity. The Commonwealth and the Organization of American States followed suit, urging Venezuela to respect the judicial process already underway. The dispute is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – a case Guyana brought in 2018 to confirm the 1899 boundary. Last year, the ICJ ruled it has jurisdiction to decide the matter, rejecting Venezuela’s objections. Final arguments on the merits are expected in 2025, and Guyana is optimistic the court will decisively uphold the border.

In the interim, the Ali administration has shored up national defense and diplomacy. The Guyana Defence Force has stepped up patrols along the Cuyuni and Takutu rivers, though officials stress that Guyana seeks a peaceful resolution through law, not force. “Our strategy is restraint with resolve,” explained National Security Advisor Gerry Gouveia, noting that provocative moves by Venezuela – such as military exercises near the frontier – have been met with calm vigilance. Guyana’s diplomats have been briefing allies from Washington to New Delhi. The United States, United Kingdom, Canada and European Union have all issued statements recognizing the 1899 boundary and warning against any attempts to alter it by force.

Meanwhile, opposition parties in Guyana have largely set aside domestic quarrels to stand behind the government on this issue. The usually fractious National Assembly passed a unanimous resolution affirming Guyana’s sovereign rights. This rare display of unity has bolstered Guyana’s case abroad, demonstrating a country speaking with one voice. Some analysts have suggested Venezuela’s renewed saber-rattling is linked to Guyana’s burgeoning oil wealth – much of it located offshore of Essequibo’s coast. “It’s no coincidence the claims grew louder after Guyana struck oil,” noted a regional expert, pointing to massive ExxonMobil-led discoveries in Guyanese waters.

For ordinary Guyanese, the Essequibo claim has stirred patriotic pride and resolve. Red, green and gold national flags are flying high across the country in solidarity with Essequibians. “We stand united,” President Ali told a gathering of residents from all regions, including Essequibo, this week. As the ICJ process advances, Guyana is projecting confidence that the rule of law will prevail. International observers say Venezuela faces an uphill battle given the longstanding legal consensus on the border. In the court of world opinion, at least, Guyana appears to have the upper hand – a small nation resolutely defending its territory with principle and an outpouring of global support.