Border controversy: “We will not cower to coercion, intimidation or unilateral action” – Pres Ali tells UN

…says Guyana still confident in international law despite Venezuela’s aggression

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday told the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that Guyana will not buckle to any coercion or intimidation in the face of persistent aggression from its Spanish-speaking neighbour, Venezuela.
“For us, the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference are not negotiable. We will not cower to coercion, intimidation, or unilateral action,” President Ali declared while delivering his address at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York.

Guyana has filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a final and binding settlement of the 1899 Arbitral Award that demarcates the boundaries with Venezuela. But despite the matter pending before the World Court, Venezuela continues with its aggressive tactic towards Guyana as Caracas pushes its spurious claims of more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass.
President Ali said during Wednesday’s address that, “Guyana, a small and peaceful state, has endured repeated threats and aggression from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”
This, according to the Guyanese leader, is even after the ICJ has affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the border controversy case twice already and had also issued provisional measures back in 2023, ordering Venezuela to refrain from altering the status quo.
“Yet, Venezuela persists with unilateral laws and threats of annexation, flagrantly violating international law, the UN Charter, and the very principles that sustain global order,” he stated.
Nevertheless, President Ali went on to reassure of Guyana’s commitment to adhering to the international rule of law and the legal process before the world court.
“If the rights of a small state can be trampled upon and legally binding orders ignored, what protection remains for any nation under international law? Yet, Guyana continues to repose confidence in international law,” the Head of State noted.
The Guyanese leader went on to use the global platform to express gratitude to all of Guyana’s international partners and allies for their solidarity.
Guyana has been supported by many countries and organisations around the world, including the 56-member Commonwealth and the Organisation of American States (OAS), in support of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In addition to claiming more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass – the resource-rich Essequibo region – Venezuela is also laying claims to a portion of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where over 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) have been found and production as well as other exploration activities are currently being undertaken offshore Guyana.
After years of failed good offices processes through the United Nations and based on the recommendation of the then UN Secretary General, Guyana approached the ICJ in March 2018, seeking a final and binding settlement of the 1899 Arbitral Award that determined the boundary between the two South American neighbours.
Guyana has already filed two written pleadings on the merits of the case, and Venezuela has also filed two – the last being in August 2025. Oral hearings are expected in the first half of 2026, following which the Court will deliberate on the case and issue its final Judgement on the Merits, which will be binding on the parties.
Guyana has pledged to accept the World Court’s judgement, whatever it might be.
President Ali had previously stated that Guyana’s case has been robustly presented before the ICJ, and the country also “successfully enjoyed widespread support for the respect for our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Even with the ICJ ordering Venezuela to not take any actions that would alter Guyana’s control of its territory, and the two South American neighbours being forced to sign the historic Argyle Declaration – a December 2023 peace pact – Venezuela continues to use aggressive tactics against Guyana, including the illegal elections.
In fact, only in May of this year, the World Court had barred Venezuela from conducting any elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region.
On May 25 – the purported day of those so-called elections – the Maduro regime failed to conduct any electoral activities. In fact, several frontline indigenous communities at Guyana’s border with Venezuela were buzzing with peace and calm.
Guyana’s borders had remained intact, several Government and security officials in Georgetown had confirmed.

Threatened
Moreover, earlier this year, there was an incursion into Guyana’s waters on March 1 by Venezuelan naval vessels which threatened several oil vessels operating there – something which was widely condemned by the international community, including the United States (US).
Weeks prior, on February 17, a heavily armed group of suspected Sindicato operatives from the Venezuelan territory opened fire on a Guyana Defence Force vessel, injuring six troops – all with gunshot wounds. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but some of the wounded soldiers had to be evacuated to Georgetown for medical treatment.
More recently, however, a similar attack was carried out on local Joint Services ranks and staff of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as they were transporting key electoral materials to remote polling stations for the September 1 polling day.
After coming under fire from the Venezuelan shore while in the Upper Cuyuni River in the vicinity of Bamboo, near the Guyana-Venezuela border, the escort team immediately returned gunfire and successfully manoeuvred the nine-member GECOM team to safety. No injuries were sustained, and no election materials were damaged or compromised.