Guyana urges Venezuela to comply fully with the ICJ’s latest orders

See below the full statement issued by Guyana’s Ministry of Forign Affairs and Internaional Cooperation

Order issued on 1 May 2025, by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, in response to Guyana’s request for the indication of additional provisional measures, following the announcement by the Government of Venezuela in January 2025 of plans to elect a governor and legislative council of “Guayana Esequiba State”, which is the name Venezuela has given to Guyana’s Essequibo region.

In its Order of 1 May 2025, the Court:

“(1) Unanimously,

Reaffirms the provisional measures indicated in its Order of 1 December 2023, which should be immediately and effectively implemented; and

(2) By twelve votes to three,

Indicates the following provisional measure:

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 Co-operative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.”

It should be recalled that the Court’s Order of 1 December 2023 stated as follows:

“(1) Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over that area; and

(2)              Both Parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before

the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.”

The Government of Guyana reiterates its unwavering commitment to the principles of international law, the peaceful resolution of disputes and to the ICJ Process for a final, peaceful and lawful resolution of the controversy concerning the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award that determined the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

The Government of Guyana further calls upon the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to comply fully with the ICJ’s orders, which are legally binding, and refrain from any actions that violate Guyana’s territorial integrity or disrupt the peace and security of the Latin American and Caribbean region.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation May 1, 2025