Caricom cautions Venezuela on act of aggression against Guyana

CARICOM is calling on Venezuela to remove its military vessel from Guyana’s maritime territory and to refrain from interacting with any Floating Production Storage and Offloading platform located there.

In a statement, Caricom said the incident happened on March 1. It said acts of aggression and provocation were contrary to international law and the 2023 Argyle Declaration.

The declaration refers to an agreement by leaders of both Venezuela and Guyana not to use nor threaten to use force, directly or indirectly, in any dispute between them but to rely on international law including the 1966 Geneva Agreement in their dispute over the Essequibo region.

“This provocative incident of 1 March 2025 initiated by Venezuela runs counter to the agreed commitment of Caricom and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to ensure that the Caribbean region remains a Zone of Peace. It is critical that there be a peaceful resolution of the border controversy as is expected under the International Court of Justice, which already has conduct over the dispute.”

It said, as discussed in the Argyle Declaration, a resolution to the territorial dispute over the Esequibo region was possible without any acts of provocation or aggression so patience, calm and non-provocation were necessary on both sides.

“Caricom reiterates its well-known position which is unequivocal and unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.”

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