The International Court of Justice has issued a Press Release today, 3rd of April, 2023 that it will rule on the 6th of April, 2023 on the Guyana/Venezuela Border Controversary. The ruling, which is likely to be in favor of Guyana, who is the rightly owner of the territory, will test Caracas’ resolve to bully this territory from Guyana.
The cold war for the Cinderella County has been going on for decades, but after the ruling, things are likely to heat up or subside completely.
The Paris Award of October 3, 1899 had handed the disputed Essequibo territory to Guyana, then British Guiana, during British rule. Venezuela however, maintains that the Paris Award of 1899 is null and void, and has been replaced by the Geneva Agreement of 1966 which stipulates that a friendly resolution on the border controversary should be reached through dialogue between heads of the two countries.
Nicolas Maduro had said on several occasions that he wants a peaceful resolution of the border dispute. However, other groups within the country has hinted at the use of force. With oil extraction going on in some parts of the Essequibo, cash-strapped Venezuela may try to bargain for some of the oil revenues coming in from waters off the Essequibo.
A Venezuelan victory in this case is likely to put Guyana in economic ruins.
