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‘Once again, Guyana’s position has prevailed’ -PM Ali

World court tells Venezuela to refrain from conducting elections in Essequibo region

Published:Friday | May 2, 2025 | 12:11 AM
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Irfaan Ali
Irfaan Ali
FILE - View of the Peace Palace which houses World Court in The Hague, Netherlands, on Sept. 19, 2023. Guyana on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, urged judges at the United Nations' highest court to call for a halt to parts of a Venezuelan referendum about a territ
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FILE - View of the Peace Palace which houses World Court in The Hague, Netherlands, on Sept. 19, 2023. Guyana on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, urged judges at the United Nations' highest court to call for a halt to parts of a Venezuelan referendum about a territorial dispute that Guyanese representatives called an "existential threat” designed to pave the way for the annexation of a large part of the country.
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GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday, unanimously reaffirmed provisional measures granted in December 2023 and told Venezuela to refrain from conducting, or preparing to conduct elections, in Guyana’s Essequibo region.

The reaffirmation of the provisional measures is part of the substantive case before the ICJ regarding the long-standing Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899.

On Thursday, the court said, “Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from conducting elections, or preparing to conduct elections, in the territory in dispute, which the Cooperative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.”

Venezuela had announced that it intends to hold elections in Guyana’s Essequibo for which it has administered for over 100 years, a territory that has been claimed by Venezuela.

Over the past few days, the Bolivarian Republic has been issuing notices on the candidates for these elections.

Guyana maintains that Essequibo is an integral part of its sovereign territory, a position upheld by the ICJ in its December 2023 ruling.

Based on this, Venezuela’s election plan, scheduled for May 25, 2025, is seen by Guyana as a direct violation of the Court’s Order and international law.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali welcomed the decision from the Court.

“Once again, Guyana’s position has prevailed. Once again, it has been demonstrated that Guyana’s position accords with international law. The Government of Guyana welcomes this decision,” he said.