UK, Commonwealth condemn Venezuela over Navy vessel incursion of Guyana’s waters

– former US Secretary of State says it’s in America’s interest to defend Guyana

Condemnation has continued to flow from both local and foreign organisations, after Saturday’s incursion into Guyana’s waters in the Stabroek Block by a Venezuelan navy vessel, with the United Kingdom (UK) and Commonwealth adding their voices to the growing outrage over Venezuela’s brazen acts.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who himself has Guyanese roots, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) slammed the Nicolás Maduro regime, and urged that Venezuela respect the sovereignty of Guyana’s territorial waters.
“Yesterday (Saturday) Venezuela violated Guyana’s maritime territory in a provocative act. The UK is steadfast in its support for Guyana’s internationally recognised territorial integrity and urges Venezuela to refrain from such actions,” Lammy wrote.

During a visit to Guyana back in December- his first to the country- Lammy had met with President Dr Irfaan Ali and other Government officials and had reiterated his Government’s support for Guyana’s territorial integrity and development projects.
Lammy, who is the son of Guyanese immigrants, has been vocal on his support for Guyana’s sovereignty even before being appointed Foreign Secretary and the year before had condemned Venezuela’s threat of aggression against Guyana in the UK Parliament.

Commonwealth
Meanwhile, Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Patricia Scotland, also issued a statement in which she took a strong stance in support of Guyana, against Venezuela’s violation of international law.
Praising Guyana’s response to this crisis, the Commonwealth Secretariat urged the international community and the Commonwealth to continue to support Guyana. According to the Secretariat, Venezuela’s actions violate the spirit and intent of the Argyle declaration it signed with Guyana on December 14, 2023, where they agreed to refrain from escalating the controversy.
Additionally, the Secretary-General demanded that Venezuela respect international law and adhere to the unanimous Order on Provisional Measures that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had handed down on December 1, 2023.
These orders had provided that, pending the Court’s final decision in the case, “The Bolivarian Republic of 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.”
Further, the Secretary General noted the communique issued after the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa in October, 2024, in which the Commonwealth Heads of Government expressed support for the ICJ’s judicial resolution of the case.

“The Commonwealth Secretary-General urged the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to abide by the principles of international law and to refrain from actions that threaten the peace and stability of the Caribbean region. The Secretary-General reiterated President Ali’s request, made on 1 March 2025, that “Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is respected and honoured,” the statement said.
“She referred to her recent statements of 6 April 2024, 1 November 2023 and 1 December 2023 on the matter and to the 3 September 2024 Outcome Statement of the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) that all reflect the Commonwealth’s consistent and unequivocal support for Guyana.”

Pompeo
Former United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also issued a statement of his own, in which he joined in the condemnation of the recent incursion of the Venezuelan naval vessel into Guyana’s waters. Since it occurred where US oil major ExxonMobil is conducting oil operations, Pompeo noted that it is in America’s interests to act.

“America First means not letting thugs like Venezuela’s (Nicolás) Maduro put American interests at risk and violate Guyana’s sovereignty,” Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State from 2018 to 2021, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
America first refers to a political theory in the United States, in which America is prioritized. And indeed, the United States has been consistent in its support of Guyana. Earlier this year, President Ali had held discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where they discussed, among other things, Guyana’s border controversy with Venezuela.
The US State Department had confirmed that during their call, Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the US’s unwavering support for Guyana’s territorial integrity in the face of escalating tensions with Venezuela.
This came in response to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s announcement on January 7, 2025, that there would be an election of a “Governor of Guayana Esequiba,” a move condemned by the Guyanese Government as a direct violation of the Argyle Agreement signed in December 2023.
The Spanish-speaking nation is claiming more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass in the Essequibo region and a portion of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where more than 11 billion oil-equivalent barrels have been discovered over the past nine years.
In December last, Guyana submitted its final written reply to Venezuela’s counter-memorial, pointing out that the Spanish-speaking nation’s case is without merit and that ultimately, the court will confirm the 1899 award as valid and legally binding.
In the merits phase of the case, Guyana’s Memorial was submitted on April 8, 2023, and Venezuela’s Counter-Memorial was made one year later on April 8, 2024. Now with Guyana’s Reply filed on December 9 as set out by the ICJ, Venezuela will have the opportunity to respond with its Rejoinder, due on August 8, 2025.