By emphasizing that everything that is done to resolve the territorial controversy over Essequibo has to be based on the consensus and approval of both governments, the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro also stressed that “there is only one solution, and that is to resume a face-to-face, direct dialogue within the framework of the Geneva Agreement.”
Adhering to the 1966 Geneva Agreement, the Venezuelan President ratified to the president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali: “I, Nicolás Maduro Moros, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, on behalf of our people, am ready to meet with you very soon, in any place in the Caribbean that we choose, to dialogue within the framework of the Geneva Agreement, to resume peace negotiations and to ensure that these threats cease and that these illegalities cease, to solve it through dialogue, through diplomacy.”
In the 18th edition of the “Con Maduro+” program from Miraflores Palace, the Venezuelan head of state pointed out that “it is the only way, president… you and I talked in Brasilia when we were at the South American meeting that Lula convened, It is already in your hands, you are a young man, do not let yourself be led down the wrong path”; requested President Maduro.
He urged Irfaan Ali not to be led down the wrong path, “Because Venezuela has never threatened, nor will threaten the people of Guyana,” recalling that “Venezuela considers the people of Guyana a brotherly people, and one that we have helped a lot, at the time, in Petrocaribe, before this unionist body was destroyed by the criminal sanctions of the United States.”
“Venezuela is not, and will not be a colonialist or imperialist country, nor does it seek resources or land that does not belong to it,” said the national dignitary, which is why he invited his counterpart from Guyana “to take advantage of the time for peace and diplomacy.”:
“I tell the president of Caricom: I am available for a face-to-face meeting with the president of Guyana, at a table, with Caricom delegates, prime ministers, to talk with the cards on the table”, occasion for the which Venezuela “is prepared to bring a clear and direct proposal for peace to move towards an agreement always within the framework of the 1966 Geneva Agreement.”
The Venezuelan head of state denounced that Guyana has attempted to take by force a sea that is in controversy, which has not been delimited in any way, arguing that “there is no international agreement as established by international law where we have delimited between Guyana and us which It is their sea and what is our sea, that is, the limits.”
“There is no such thing, first we are resolving the territory controversy,” he said, clarifying that “after we resolve that controversy with the Geneva Agreement, in an agreement satisfactory to both parties, then the delimitation of the seas will come.”
He emphasized that Guyana has attempted to take the seas by force: “That is why Guyana, more than Guyana, ExxonMobil, which has bought all the politicians of the ruling elite of Guyana (…) ExxonMobil and the Southern Command that has turned Guyana into a North American military base, they intend to take the sea that belongs to Venezuela. They intend to take over the undelimited sea.”
