Venezuela Arrives at the ICJ to Defend its Rights over Disputed Territory with Guyana
Venezuela's legal team, including Foreign Minister Yván Gil, arrived at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague (Netherlands) on Monday to defend its "historical rights" over the Esequibo, a territory of approximately 160,000 square kilometers disputed with Guyana. Gil, according to a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared that the Venezuelan team is ready to "defend historical truth, territorial truth, and Venezuelan sovereignty."
TL;DR
- Venezuela's legal team is at the ICJ in The Hague to defend its historical rights over the Esequibo territory.
- The Esequibo is a territory of approximately 160,000 square kilometers disputed between Venezuela and Guyana.
- Venezuela considers the 1899 arbitration award invalid and believes the Geneva Agreement is the only legitimate instrument for resolving the dispute.
- Guyana initiated proceedings at the ICJ in March 2018 to have the validity and binding effect of the 1899 award declared.
- Venezuela has historically questioned the ICJ's authority in this matter.