Guyana-Venezuela border controversy: Guyana to rebut Venezuela’s “colonial fraud” claims today at ICJ

…judgement expected by year-end

Guyana will today present its rebuttal to Venezuela’s oral arguments in the border controversy case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – its final submission before the court deliberates on a judgement.

On Monday, May 4, Guyana made oral submissions where it requested the World Court to affirm the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela. Guyana argued that the Arbitral Award constitutes a full, perfect and final settlement of the issue under international law and that the boundary it determined was recognised and implemented by Venezuela for more than 60 years before its belated challenge to it. Guyana argued that Venezuela’s claim to the territory west of the Essequibo River is thus without legal foundation.
However, in its submission on Wednesday, Venezuela challenged both the jurisdiction of the court and the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award. Venezuela argued that the award was a result of fraud and collusion during the colonial period. It sought to argue that the 1966 Geneva Agreement replaced the award and provides the governing legal framework for resolving the controversy through a negotiated settlement between the parties, rather than a judicial determination.
In a statement on Thursday, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation reminded us that Guyana had addressed the “serious flaws in these arguments put forward by Venezuela” during its submissions on Monday.
The hearings before the ICJ will continue with a second round of arguments, with Guyana slated to present its rebuttal today, May 8. Venezuela will present its final arguments on Monday, May 11.
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the World Court will then deliberate on the case and ultimately issue its final judgement, which will be legally binding on the parties.
“The Court’s deliberations usually extend over several months. Its judgement is not expected until the end of this year,” the Ministry cautioned.

History
On March 29, 2018, Guyana filed an application instituting proceedings against Venezuela concerning the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Arbitral Award regarding the boundary between the then Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela.
Guyana brought the case to the ICJ to confirm the validity of the internationally recognised boundary, which was determined by the Award and by a 1905 boundary agreement with Venezuela that adhered strictly to the unanimous decision rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal.
The ICJ has already affirmed its jurisdiction to hear this case twice, in judgements issued on December 18, 2020, and April 6, 2023.
The Court has also had to issue two orders, both indicating provisional measures, which Guyana had requested, to prevent Venezuela from interfering with Guyana’s lawful control and administration of the territory that is the subject of the controversy while the judicial proceedings are still pending.
The written phase of the case concluded last year after Guyana filed two written pleadings on the merits of the case and Venezuela also filed two, the last being in August 2025.
Earlier this year, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd had said that Guyana is confident in the case presented to the World Court and is expecting a favourable ruling.