Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has moved to officially seize and annex Guyana’s Essequibo territory by instituting what he calls “The Organic Law for the Defense of the Essequibo,” in an apparent abandonment of last December’s Argyle Agreement, and in total disregard of an impending decision by the International Court of Justice.
The text reads, President Maduro in the Promulgation of the Organic Law for the Defense of Essequibo: I proceed with pride, love, faith and commitment to immediately sign and promulgate this binding and obligatory Law, of an organic nature, which the AN has approved.
The promulgation of the Law took place in the Elliptical Hall of the Federal Legislative Palace, along with the president were the first combatant and deputy to the National Assembly Cilia Flores, presidents of the Public Powers, other civil, military and government authorities, and deputies.
This runs counter to the Argyle Declaration in St. Vincent and the Grenadines last December 14, wherein both Maduro and Ali “Agreed that both States will refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them. The two States will cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground conducive to tension between them. In the event of such an incident the two States will immediately communicate with one another, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), and the President of Brazil to contain, reverse and prevent its recurrence.”
Maduro said that his new ‘organic law’ will guarantee that the referendum of December 3, 2023 will be fully implemented in the defense of Venezuela and its territory.
According to Maduro, “The Government of Venezuela defended its constitutional rights against the President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, during the meeting held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 14 December, in a historic act that marked a before and after “the recovery of the territory that was illegally taken from the nation.” said President Maduro.
#EnFotos📸| Pdte. @NicolasMaduro en la Promulgación de la Ley Orgánica para la Defensa del Esequibo: Procedo con orgullo, amor, fe y compromiso a firmar de inmediato y a promulgar esta Ley vinculante y obligante, de carácter orgánica, que ha aprobado la AN.#7TDesarrolloNacional pic.twitter.com/hkGh2cydLW
— MIPPCI (@Mippcivzla) April 3, 2024
He also said that he had never felt more joyful than when he claimed the rights of Venezuelans, in front of the president of Guyana, whom he described as a puppet of the oligarchy, the United States and the capitalist company ExxonMobil, who sought to seize the nation’s resources illegally.
“After six and a half years as Foreign Minister and 11 as President, I can tell you that I have never felt as satisfied to defend and vindicate Venezuela as when I did in front of the President of Guyana. The liberators gave us the land, our identity, our character and they gave us the complete Guiana, the right on the Essequibo is and always will be a libertarian right”.
“Four months ago, Venezuela experienced a stellar and historic moment, since, for the first time, since Venezuela was the victim of a dispossession of its Guayana Esequiba, the people were summoned constitutionally to decide the fate and future of Venezuela’s rights”, the president added.
#EnVivo 📹 | Presidente @NicolasMaduro promulga Ley Orgánica para la Defensa del Esequibohttps://t.co/jOHnQcPKRx
— Prensa Presidencial (@PresidencialVen) April 3, 2024
The head of state affirmed that the time of imperial subordination is over forever, and “we will guarantee it with our life for a long time,” he said.
Nicolás Maduro also stressed that the right to the Guayana Esequiba is a “libertarian right against colonial dispossession”, which was taken from the Spanish empire and “we established it as free and sovereign land”.
“Our right is historical and based on justice, truth, we do not intend to take anything from anyone, on the contrary, it is about rescuing and recovering what genuinely belongs to Venezuela for history”. (WiredJA)