The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejected the statements issued by the President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, which constitute a falsification of the historical and legal truth regarding the territorial dispute, and emphasized that the only valid instrument to resolve the dispute is the 1966 Geneva Agreement, according to a communique.
The Venezuelan government reiterated that it does not, nor will recognize the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the controversy and that it reiterated there never was granted consent to this body to hear the claim unilaterally filed by Guyana.
Furthermore, was stated that «Guyana has the obligation to sit down face-to-face with Venezuela and negotiate directly a solution in accordance with International Law and the mechanisms established in the 1966 Geneva Agreement.»
Following, the full text of the communique:
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically rejects the provocative and delusional statements issued by the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, from the territory of Guayana Esequiba, an area under his administration as a result of the fraudulent dispossession of historically Venezuelan territory carried out by the United Kingdom.
The assertions by the Guyanese president constitute a falsification of the historical and legal truth. The discussion regarding the validity or invalidity of the 1899 Paris Arbitration Award was settled by the parties with the signing of the 1966 Geneva Agreement by Venezuela, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and what was then British Guiana, now the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Venezuela has made it absolutely clear, and has recently reiterated this before the International Court of Justice itself, that it does not, nor it will not recognize the jurisdiction of that body to resolve this territorial dispute. Venezuela has never consented to the aforementioned Court hearing the claim unilaterally filed by Guyana, in a blatant violation of the spirit and purpose of the Geneva Agreement, the only valid and current legal instrument to resolve the controversy on the border through a practical, satisfactory, and mutually acceptable solution.
Consequently, Guyana has the obligation to sit down face-to-face with Venezuela and to directly negotiate a solution in accordance with International Law and the mechanisms established in the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ratifies that it will never renounce its historical rights over the Guayana Essequiba and will continue to defend them through the appropriate diplomatic, political, and legal channels”.
Caracas, May 27, 2026.