Guyana has requested the ICJ to prevent Venezuela from holding elections in the disputed Esequibo region, claiming it violates a prior court ruling. Venezuela plans to conduct these elections on May 25, despite international legal proceedings, intensifying tensions between the two countries.
On Thursday, Guyana formally requested that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) prohibit Venezuela from conducting elections in the contested Esequibo region. The Guyanese foreign ministry contended that holding elections in this territory would contravene a previous ICJ ruling. Venezuela plans to conduct provincial elections on May 25, despite an ongoing legal dispute regarding the sovereignty of Esequibo.
Venezuela has enacted legislation creating a new state in the Esequibo area, ignoring a recent ICJ decree that prohibits any actions altering the legal status of the region. Guyana argues that allowing elections to proceed would be a severe violation of the 2023 court order.
The Guyanese government has also urged the ICJ for expedited hearings to avert potentially irreparable harm to its rights. Moreover, tensions escalated recently when a Venezuelan coast guard vessel allegedly entered Guyanese waters near an offshore oil block managed by ExxonMobil. Venezuela maintains that the area is a maritime zone still subject to delimitation according to international law.
The ICJ is expected to take several years to reach a definitive ruling on the Esequibo dispute, leaving both nations in a precarious situation regarding the contested territory.
Guyana’s request to the International Court of Justice seeks to halt Venezuela’s upcoming election plans in Esequibo, asserting that such actions would breach international rulings. With rising tensions over territorial waters, the impending legal proceedings hold significant implications for both nations involved, as the ICJ’s final decision on this matter will not occur for several years.
Original Source: www.usnews.com
