Venezuela border controversy: Guyana wants peaceful resolution, but prepared in case of invasion – Pres Ali tells CBS

…US State Dept says Dec 3 referendum cannot settle border controversy

While Guyana remains hopeful of a peaceful resolution to the border controversy with Venezuela, President Dr Irfaan Ali has assured that the country is also prepared, in case of an invasion by Venezuela.
In an interview with United States media CBS News on Tuesday, the President highlighted Guyana’s border controversy with Venezuela. According to President Ali, Guyana is doing everything possible to ensure the Caribbean zone remains one of peace while Guyana pursues a resolution to the controversy through the rightful channels, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

He pointed out that diplomacy has been, and will continue to be, Guyana’s first line of defence; but, at the same time, he made it clear that Guyana is preparing itself in case Venezuela does invade its territory. This preparation includes through collaboration with its allies such as the United States (US) and their Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
“It means doing the work in educating the world. It means informing all the relevant authorities and agencies of what is happening. It means constant monitoring and observation of what Venezuela is doing. It means ensuring that our diplomatic work is at its highest level,” he explained.
“Because we want this to be resolved in a peaceful manner, it means encouraging the Venezuelans and the Venezuela people, the leadership of Venezuela, to do what is right for the region: to accept a rules-based system; to work with the ICJ; to accept the outcome of the ICJ. And it also means to prepare ourselves, prepare our military assets, in case of an invasion from Venezuela,” President Ali has explained.

“We don’t believe Venezuela would act in this reckless way, but if they do act in this reckless way, we are already cooperating with friends within the region. We have defense cooperation with the United States,” President Ali disclosed.
Mention was also made of all the international support Guyana has received, including from the Organization of American States (OAS), an organization to which Venezuela once belonged. In contrast, Venezuela has received the public support of only one country, Nicaragua.
“We have had the OAS in full support of us; the Commonwealth group of countries in support of us; we have had the Caricom leaders issuing strong statements; and we have had various leaders across the globe. I’ve been reaching out, because our first line of defence is diplomacy,” the President explained.
“And we’ve been reaching out to leaders. The US is in strong support of Guyana, and also (countries like) India. We’ve raised this with India. We’ve even raised this with Cuba. Cuba has a very close relationship with Venezuela, (and we have raised this) so that they can encourage Venezuela to do what is right,” the President further explained.

US State Department
Meanwhile, during a press briefing on Monday, Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department, has made it clear that the referendum Venezuela held on Sunday cannot be the means of resolving the border controversy. He has urged both sides to focus on a peaceful settlement.
“We support a peaceful resolution of the border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. The 1899 Award (that) determined the land boundary between Venezuela and Guyana should be respected, unless and until the parties come to a new agreement, or a competent legal body decides otherwise,” the State Department spokesman has said. “
So, we would urge Venezuela and Guyana to continue to seek a peaceful resolution of their (controversy). This is not something that would just be settled by a referendum.”
Under the watchful eyes of the world, Venezuela on Sunday went ahead with its planned referendum, which contained all five questions unchanged, including a question asking its citizens for approval to invade Essequibo and create a Venezuelan state out of 3/4 of Guyana’s territory. This is despite the December 1 ruling of the International Court of Justice which barred Venezuela from taking any action emanating from the referendum to seize Essequibo while the Court makes its decision about the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award.
The National Electoral Council of Venezuela has reported that over 28,000 polling stations across Venezuela were involved in the referendum, and that the process was even open to Venezuelans with expired ID cards. The Council reported that at the initially planned close of polls, the voting deadline had to be extended.
While millions did vote in the referendum, the event was overshadowed not only by the disapproval of the regional and international communities, but by opposition to the referendum within Venezuela itself.
On the day of the referendum, videos had been circulating online of Venezuelans urging persons not to be brainwashed by the referendum. There have been reports of government employees and school children in Venezuela being forced to vote in the referendum. In fact, in one video, a school teacher can be seen standing on a stage warning that students in high schools are being deceived and manipulated with the referendum.
In another video, a woman who identified herself as Rebeca Mora accused the Maduro regime of kidnapping her 14-year-old son. In that video, she claimed that her son is being pressured into voting in the referendum, and is being threatened with repeating a school year.
Further, it is alleged that these tactics had been used throughout Venezuela to get millions of people to go out and vote.