CARICOM to meet in emergency session to discuss Guyana-Venz’la tension

The dispute over the Essequibo region between Venezuela and Guyana has led the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to schedule an emergency session on Friday.

Several CARICOM member states, including Trinidad and Tobago, have reinforced their call for respect for the International Court of Justice’s jurisdiction, peace to be preserved, and full respect for Guyana’s territorial integrity.

Plans for a meeting of the regional body were revealed by Trinidad’s Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Dr Amery Browne, who said that Caricom was in the process of convening an emergency session of Heads of Government via video conference for Friday.

Caricom recently upheld the ICJ’s ruling that Venezuela refrain from any action that could modify the current situation where Guyana exercises control over the Essequibo.

The main opposition, United National Congress (UNC), has also called on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to prioritize a diplomatic solution to the present imbroglio with Guyana.

Meanwhile, Maduro has instituted measures to enforce the decisions of last Sunday’s Venezuelan referendum, where voters reportedly heavily backed Venezuela’s claim to the Essequibo region.

These measures included a reconfiguration of Venezuela’s map to include the Essequibo and other immediate steps to emphasize Venezuela’s foothold there. In response, the President of Guyana Dr Irfaan Ali said that “this is a direct threat to Guyana’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence, and in violation of fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the United Nations and OAS Charters.”