Venezuela border controversy: ICJ sets May 4 to hear arguments on merits of case

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has set May 4, 2026, for the commencement of oral arguments on the merits of the Guyana-Venezuela Border Controversy case, signalling a step closer to a final and binding settlement of the decade-long issue.
This was revealed by Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, on Friday during his contributions to the debates on Budget 2026.
“I am pleased to inform the House that on 27th January, 2026, all the parties in that case were notified by the Court that the hearings on the merits of the case will open on Monday, 4th May, 2026,” the Attorney General updated the National Assembly.
According to AG Nandlall, whose office works alongside the Office of the President (OP) and the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Guyana’s case, the World Court further indicated that a detailed schedule for the hearing will be communicated with the parties shortly.

Back in March 2018, Guyana had moved to the ICJ, seeking a final and binding settlement of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the boundaries with Venezuela.
The Spanish-speaking nation is claiming more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass – the entire Essequibo region and a portion of Guyana’s 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.
The World Court had first established its jurisdiction to hear the border case in December 2020. The written phase of the case concluded last year after Guyana filed two written pleadings on the merits of the case, and Venezuela has also filed two – the last being in August 2025.
When the hearing commences on May 4, both sides will present oral arguments on the merits of their respective cases before the ICJ’s deliberations and issuance of its final judgement, which will be binding on both countries under international law.
Guyana has declared its steadfast commitment to the peaceful resolution of this border controversy with Venezuela in accordance with international law through the ICJ.

Favourable ruling
Only last month, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd said that Guyana is confident in the case presented to the World Court and is expecting a favourable ruling sometime this year.
“You’ve seen the performance of the legal team over the last several years. And I think you are confident also in the team, as we are confident. I think we have a very strong team, and we are very focused. But of course, we have to remain cautious. But we are very confident that we will have a ruling in our favour,” Todd told reporters on January 22.
In furtherance of its spurious claims, Venezuela has been heightening its aggression over the years towards Guyana, including as recently as last year, despite the case pending before the ICJ, which had even had to issue two sets of provisional measures to restrain Venezuela and ease rising tensions between the two South American neighbours.
But with the recent capture and toppling of the Nicolás Maduro regime in Caracas by the United States on January 3, that aggression is likely to wane – something which the Government of Guyana welcomes.
In fact, one of Guyana’s agents in the ICJ case, Carl Greenidge, believes that the latest developments in Venezuela could see a reduction in military aggression against Guyana.
“The change in the relationship between Venezuela and the US in the immediate future is likely to put on hold Venezuela’s military ambitions towards Guyana because I don’t think they’ll be in a position to realise that,” Greenidge, a former Foreign Affairs Minister, told local news agency OilNOW in January.

Ready for any eventuality
Despite this anticipated ease of tension, however, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr Irfaan Ali, has cautioned that Guyana still needs to remain vigilant.
“The present situation in Venezuela does not remove nor diminish the threat to Guyana’s territory. If anything, history teaches us that uncertainty demands preparedness, not wishful thinking. Guyana must not drop its guard. Guyana must not blink. We must be prepared. We must be ready. We must be ever vigilant,” President Ali declared on Thursday.
According to the Commander-in-Chief, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) must be prepared for any eventuality – something which he contends is not a sign of provocation.
“Preparedness is not provocation; readiness is not aggression; vigilance is not hostility. They’re simply the duties of a sovereign state that takes itself seriously. And that is why the Guyana Defence Force must continue to ensure that it is ready for any eventuality, on land, at sea and in the air. Readiness is not something you scramble to assemble when trouble arrives; it is something you build quietly, steadily and professionally,” the Head of State asserted.
President Ali was at the time addressing the opening ceremony of the GDF’s Annual Officers’ Conference (AOC) held at Base Camp Ayanganna on Thursday morning.
GDF’s Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, also recalled that approximately one year ago, in February 2025, six Guyanese soldiers were injured after coming under gunfire while traversing the Cuyuni River in Region Seven, which borders Venezuela.
While the army has recovered from that incident and several others, including another attack in September last year, Brigadier Khan noted that the GDF has since strengthened its presence in those frontier locations and revised its operational posture.
“The Force stayed resolute in maintaining Guyana’s territorial integrity, sustaining operational readiness, and conducting continuous activities to deter threats and protect our patrimony… Our mission, even in such an environment, to protect and defend our territory remains non-negotiable.”
“We continue to assess the recent developments in Venezuela. And I must say, regardless of any opportunities such developments can potentially bring, we will and must continue to stand guard,” the Army Chief contended.
But even as Guyana enjoys the strong support of regional and international partners as well as organisations against Venezuela’s spurious claims and aggression, President Ali underscored the importance of building internal defence to defend the country’s national patrimony.