Govt warns of sinister political motive behind fear mongering Venezuelan propaganda

– urges citizens to rely on official channels for border controversy updates

Despite the increased tensions between Guyana and Venezuela over the latter’s unjust claims to Guyana’s Essequibo territory, there are some who have resorted to sharing Venezuelan propaganda, prompting a sharp rebuke from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry called out these “unpatriotic” acts, which it warned feeds into the Venezuelan narrative and only increases tension. As a matter of fact, the Ministry warned that some of these propaganda videos are not even current, but are outdated.
“The Government of Guyana has noted the unpatriotic and sustained efforts of some, in spreading Venezuelan propaganda; some of which is dated, some not related to Guyana and some totally fabricated,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry also warned that these posts are no doubt being generated with an ulterior political motive, though it stopped short of pointing fingers.
They did warn Guyanese however, to avoid falling prey to this “alternative unpatriotic agenda” by relying on official channels to get information on the border controversy.
“These posts are generated to create unease, tension and unnecessary worry among the population, no doubt with an ulterior political motive. We urge Guyanese to rely only on official communications on this matter,” the Ministry added.
Back in December 2023, Presidents Irfaan Ali of Guyana and Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela signed the Argyle Declaration in Argyle, St Vincent and the Grenadines. This agreement was facilitated by regional leaders, including Prime Ministers Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, with support from Caricom, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Brazil, and the United Nations (UN).
Key provisions of the Argyle Declaration include a commitment to non-aggression, the peaceful resolution framework and the establishment of a joint commission comprising Foreign Ministers and technical experts from both countries was to be formed to address mutually agreed matters.
Despite the provisions, Venezuela continues to use aggressive tactics against Guyana, including plans to unlawfully elect a Governor and legislative council of “Guayana Esequiba State”, which is the name the Spanish-speaking nation has given to Guyana’s Essequibo region.
In January 2025, the Nicolás Maduro regime had announced plans to hold elections in the Essequibo region, which is two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass, on May 25, 2025 – something which Guyana wrote the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in March to have blocked.
The World Court, which is hearing the case to settle the decades-long border controversy between the two South American neighbours, subsequently issued an order that Venezuela must refrain from conducting or preparing to conduct elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region.
It also reaffirmed the provisional measures issued by the Court on December 1, 2023, which states that “…Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over that area; and (2) Both Parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.”
However, the Venezuelan Government had said no international pressure, judicial blackmail or foreign court could make it back down, and called on Guyana to engage in direct negotiation and comply with the Geneva Agreement.
In response to Caracas, the Foreign Ministry called Venezuela’s reaction to the additional provisional measures issued by the World Court “unfortunate” and shut down, once again, any idea of bilateral talks between the two neighbouring states.
In fact, the Foreign Ministry went on to remind Venezuela that the case pending before the ICJ is a decision of the UN Secretary General in accordance with the 1966 Geneva Agreement on the settlement of the controversy – an Agreement to which both Guyana and Venezuela are parties.