The president in charge of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguezwill defend before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the UN, based in The Hague, the interests of his country in the territorial conflict of Essequibo, a region that is part of Guyana but that Caracas claims as its own. The Chavista leader arrived in the Dutch capital on Sunday, Venezuelan sources reported, to attend the last of the public hearings regarding the historic territorial dispute that weighs on this region rich in oil and other minerals.
Rodríguez, who ascended to the presidency after the capture by the United States of Nicolás Maduro at the beginning of the year, a few days ago advanced his intention to travel “abroad” to “defend Venezuela.” This announcement was immediately related to the hearings that have been ongoing since last day 4 in The Hague and that were just ending, according to the ICJ calendar, this Monday. The Court of The Hague addresses, at the request of the Georgetown government, the conflict between Caracas and the former British colony of Guyana. In dispute is the border region of Essequibo, which represents 60% of Guyana’s territory.
On Sunday night, via Telegram, Rodríguez confirmed having arrived in the Netherlands “to defend the majesty and vigor of the 1966 Geneva Agreement.” According to the Chavista leader, whom Since Maduro’s capture, he supports Donald Trump as Venezuelan president“there is no doubt that the only owner of Guayana Esequiba is Venezuela.”
It’s your first trip abroad since he assumed the presidency of his country. For his stay in the Netherlands, Rodríguez has a specific exception on EU sanctions. The president is among the 69 Venezuelans sanctioned by the European Union (EU)with accusations ranging from actions against democracy and the rule of law to human rights violations, repression of opponents of the regime and civil society as a whole. That is, it would theoretically be prohibited from entering the community block. According to Venezuelan sources, the head of Foreign Affairs of her country was waiting for her at the Amsterdam-Schiphol airport, Yvan Gilwho heads his delegation to the CIP.
A territorial conflict reignited by oil
The litigation before the ICJ starts from a report of 1899 that set the border between the then British colony and Venezuela. Caracas complied with it for 60 years, until 1962 when it declared it null. considering it irregular. Since then, it has claimed a territory that occupies some 160,000 square kilometers and is under Guyanese administration.
After last week’s sessions, Minister Yván Gil stated that the litigation must come together in a direct negotiation and without third party intervention. Its purpose is to disassociate the ICJ from the process, since it is assumed that the judges in The Hague can lean in favor of the plaintiff.
Guyana formalized a lawsuit in 2018 before the highest court of the United Nations, whose main function is to resolve conflicts between countries peacefully. Its purpose is for the Court to endorse the legal and binding validity of the 1899 award.
Maduro already hardened his tone towards the former British colony in his last times in power. Since 2025, there have been complaints from the Georgetown Government against Venezuelan attacks on the border. After the replacement in favor of Rodríguez, there have been new border incidents and complaints from Guyana. Caracas has refuted them and assured that they are montages or stagings by Guyana.
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