Guyana Responds To Maduro's Aggressive Actions

The country's president said the measures have been taken.

Guyana will appeal to the UN Security Council over Venezuela's territorial claims. This was announced by the President of the country Irfaan Ali. Earlier, a referendum was held in Venezuela, according to the results of which Nicolas Maduro declared a significant part of Guyana's territory as a new state of Venezuela.

"This is a direct threat to Guyana's territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence and a violation of the fundamental principles of international law as written in the UN Charter," the Guyana president said.

He said Guyana is "intensifying precautionary measures to protect the territory." Ali said he has spoken to UN Secretary General António Gutterish and a number of state leaders about the matter.

Guyana will bring the issue to the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday. It will also engage a number of international organisations, including the Organisation of American States, the Commonwealth and bilateral partners, among whom Ali mentioned the ASP, Brazil, Britain and France.

He also attempted to reassure investors by assuring them that their investment in Guyana is not at risk.

The dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the territory west of the Essequibo River has existed since the late 19th century. The territory constitutes more than two-thirds of Guyana's territory. It escalated in 2015 after the discovery of oil fields.

In April, the UN International Court of Justice recognised Guyana's claim against Venezuela on the demarcation of the border between them as admissible on the basis of an arbitral award of the arbitration court held in Paris in 1899. At that time, under pressure from Britain, almost all the disputed territory was transferred to Guyana, which was a British colony. Venezuela believes that the conflict is not subject to the jurisdiction of the UN International Court of Justice and insists on demarcation of the borders through direct negotiations with Guyana, which is stipulated by the Geneva Agreement of 1966.