GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (DPI) – President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has firmly rejected any dialogue with Venezuela while it continues to breach the Argyle Declaration, stating that he would not be ‘bullied’ into talks, responded to reports that Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro had requested dialogue under the Argyle Agreement.
“I have made it very clear that we are not going to be bullied, and I am not going to be bullied. This country and all of us in this country are going to stand firm on our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” president Ali said.
The Guyanese head of state reiterated Guyana’s staunch commitment to upholding the Argyle Declaration and the International Court of Justice’s orders, urging the Venezuelan Government to follow suit.
“Guyana has never breached the Argyle Agreement. We have never ever breached the Argyle Agreement. We have never done anything to disrupt peace in this region or to annoy, much less disrupt what happens in Venezuela,” the president expressed.
President Ali also highlighted Venezuela’s continued aggravations, including planned elections for a governor for Guyanese territory, as clear breaches of the Argyle Declaration.
The president has already engaged the chair of CARICOM, Barbados prime minister, Mia Mottley and St Vincent and Grenadian prime minister Ralph Gonsalves on Guyana’s firm position in the border controversy.
“I said last night to the chair of CARICOM that we are not going to go into any discussion with Venezuela when they are blatantly disregarding the Argyle Declaration…there can be no expectation of a meeting when Venezuela continues to act in clear violation of the Argyle Declaration,” president Ali underlined.
Venezuela’s recent aggressions occurred on March 1, 2025, around 07:00 hours when Venezuelan Naval Vessel ABV Guaiqueiri sailed approximately 700 metres in Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), near FPSO PROSPERITY.
The Venezuelan naval vessel communicated threateningly via radio communication that FPSO PROSPERITY was operating in Venezuela’s EEZ before continuing in a Southwestern direction towards other FPSOs, to which it delivered the same message.
The incursion drew swift condemnation from the Guyanese government, CARICOM, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, and key Western nations, including the US, the UK, and France.
Further, Guyana’s ministry of foreign affairs and International Cooperation has since filed a new case at the ICJ, seeking emergency measures to halt Venezuela’s plans to hold an election in Essequibo. The ICJ on March 7, acknowledged receipt of Guyana’s latest filing.
Scheduled for March 25, 2025, Venezuela’s proposed vote could involve preparatory actions on Guyanese territory, an act Georgetown views as a direct threat to its sovereignty.
This marks the second time Guyana has had to go to the ICJ for intervention.
In December 2023, the court ruled that Venezuela must refrain from any action that could alter the status quo in the disputed territory, where Guyana maintains administrative control.
Georgetown argues that Caracas’ election plans represent a clear violation of this order.
The border controversy, dates back over a century, centers on the oil-rich Essequibo Region, which comprises two-thirds of Guyana’s territory. While Guyana insists that an 1899 arbitration ruling settled the issue, Venezuela claims the region as its own.