President Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed Guyana’s sovereign right to make its own decisions, stressing that this is not up for external interference, especially from Venezuela.
The two countries are before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after Venezuela revived its claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region, two-thirds of the country’s territory.
Venezuela has also attracted the wrath of the United States of America for alleged transnational crimes linked to the country. Airstrikes have already devastated vessels offshore the country.
Recently, Venezuelan Minister of Defence, Vladimir Padrino López, issued a direct warning to Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.
“To those who sent a written statement from the United States, I am referring to the governments of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the government of Trinidad and Tobago, who have played along. I say to you, well, if they attack from your territory, you will also receive a response, and that is legitimate defence,” Padrino said.
Asked about these comments, President Ali responded: “Our sovereignty is our sovereignty; what we do with it is our business.”
At a press engagement in which there was exclusion of some press, the president added that his government’s responsibility is to ensure the region remains a zone of peace.
He noted that his administration is conscious of the dangers of transnational crime and its impact on Guyana and the region. He added that Guyana will not stop contributing to every effort to ensure that transnational criminal elements do not affect the region’s way of life.
