Former Latin American, European leaders in solidarity with Guyana amid Venezuelan military incursion

The Liberty and Democracy Group has strongly condemned the recent incursion of a Venezuelan military vessel into the waters of Guyana’s Essequibo region. The incident, denounced by the Government of Guyana, is seen as a direct violation of Guyanese sovereignty and a flagrant challenge to international law.

In a statement, the Liberty and Democracy Group described the Venezuelan action as “unacceptable” and called for it to be “firmly condemned.” The group reaffirmed its support for the Government of Guyana in its commitment to defending its territorial integrity.

Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali, has made clear the seriousness of the situation and stressed his nation’s resolve to protect its borders in the face of increasing aggression from Venezuela’s government.

The group pointed out that Guyana’s actions have adhered to international mechanisms designed to resolve such disputes, while the regime of Nicolás Maduro has consistently ignored the principles of peace and stability that are fundamental to the region.

The Liberty and Democracy Group further stressed that respecting internationally recognised borders is a core principle of the global order, and there can be no justification for imposing force to challenge a nation’s sovereignty.

The group also called upon the international community to stand in solidarity with Guyana, ensuring that its sovereignty is upheld and that it is not undermined by Maduro’s regime, which the Liberty and Democracy Group argues seeks to exploit Guyana’s vast energy resources. They further emphasised that Guyana’s growth presents the potential for the country to become a global model for development, which makes the Venezuelan attempts to assert control over its territory all the more concerning.

The statement was issued by a collective of former heads of state and members of the Liberty and Democracy Group, including Guillermo Lasso (former President of Ecuador), Iván Duque (former President of Colombia), Rafael Calderón (former President of Costa Rica), Mireya Moscoso (former President of Panama), Mario Abdo Benítez (former President of Paraguay), Jamil Mahuad (former President of Ecuador), Luis Fortuño (former Governor of Puerto Rico), Mariano Rajoy (former President of Spain), Felipe Calderón (former President of Mexico), Mauricio Macri (former President of Argentina), and Jorge Quiroga (former President of Bolivia).

These leaders united in their call for global unity in supporting Guyana’s right to maintain its territorial integrity and peace in the region.

The Freedom and Democracy group is a political forum founded by Iberoamerican ex-presidents in 2023. This is a right and center-right-led group that aims to discuss political matters in the Ibero-American region.