Guyana and Venezuela square off on international land claims. These claims date back to 1966
The Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) called on Friday for the national union for the defense of the Essequibo territory, after in 2018, Guyana filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ), to debate the controversy over the area in claim.
This was emphasized by the sectoral vice president of Political Sovereignty, Security and Peace and minister of the Popular Power for Defense, G / J Vladimir Padrino López, who also recalled that one of the FANB missions established in the Constitution of the Republic? in force since 1999? it is the defense of the sovereignty and integrity of the entire national territory.
“We advocate for national union. At the heart of Venezuelans, by constitutional mandate, he says that one of the FANB’s missions or mission is to guarantee their independence, their sovereignty and the integrity of their geographical spaces, with just causes. We applaud this call from here, “said Padrino López, during a meeting with the Presidential Commission for the Defense of the Essequibo, led by the Executive Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez and, attended by authorities from the Legislative Power, from the National Constituent Assembly, the Attorney of the Republic, of the Supreme Court of Justice and ministers of the national Executive.
From the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, the head of the Ministry for Defense emphasized that Venezuela’s sovereignty over the Essequibo dates back to historical times, because that territory was inherited by the South American nation in July 1811, when it was brought carry out the declaration of the Independence of Venezuela, and a series of provinces adhere.
“As FANB and the people of Venezuela we have our historical reasons. Venezuela signed an act of independence on July 5, 1811. The patriots of the time inherited the General Captaincy of Venezuela, uniting a series of provinces. We Venezuelans inherited that territory and the Father (Simón) Bolívar, they spilled their blood throughout this territory. So we have historical reasons to continue advocating an agreement that has its origin in Geneva, “he said.
The Geneva Agreement? subscribed in 1966? recognizes the sovereignty of Venezuela over the Essequibo, for which the Arbitration Award issued in 1899 in Paris, France, which illegally ceded this territory to British Guyana, was declared void.
About The Author
