Venezuela rejects UN court order to halt election in territory under dispute with Guyana
Associated Press2 days
Venezuela Rejects ICJ Ruling on Elections in Disputed Region
Above: A man walks next to a mural of the map of Venezuela that includes the Essequibo territory, in Caracas, Venezuela on December 13, 2023. Image copyright: Pedro Rances Mattey/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The Essequibo is an inalienable part of Venezuela. This territorial dispute is governed by the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which established the obligation to settle the dispute through mutually acceptable arrangements. No international pressure, judicial blackmail, or foreign tribunal will make Venezuela back down from defending what is rightfully its.
Pro-establishment narrative
The ICJ has once again confirmed that Guyana administers and exercises control over the Essequibo region, and Venezuela must respect Guyana's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Under the 1966 Geneva Agreement, the World Court's judgment will be definitive, final and binding on both nations.