Home Top Stories “We have to have peace” – Argyle interlocutor on Venezuelan vessel’s...
Following last weekend’s incursion of a Venezuelan naval vessel into Guyana’s waters, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who is serving as the principal interlocutor between the two South-American neighbours as part of the December 2023 Argyle Declaration, has emphasised the need for the upholding of peace within the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and Latin America region.
Gonsalves is one of the principal interlocutors in the Argyle peace pact which was crafted at the conclusion of the historic Caricom/CELAC /Brazil-brokered dialogue between President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro on December 14, 2023 in SVG, where both parties signalled their commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean remaining a Zone of Peace.
Speaking during a radio programme in SVG on Wednesday, PM Gonsalves recalled the recent incursion of a Venezuelan naval vessel into Guyana waters, for which he was contacted to communicate between the two countries.
“First of all, we had to ensure there was a peace and a calm, and that there be no provocation…The Argyle Declaration and the mechanism has therein assisted in keeping the peace and lessening tension,” Gonsalves added.
According to the SVG Prime Minister, such tensions have the potential to escalate to cause harm to people, property and the region.
“We have to have peace… In that kind of tense situation, anything can happen, and matters spiral completely out of control; and next thing you know, there is a conflagration, military operations and so on and so forth. You don’t need an imagination to know how that will go…It doesn’t require imagination to [know] the turmoil that can be caused in the Caribbean and Latin America and other hemisphere; so, the Argyle Declaration works,” Gonsalves posited.
He went on to add, “I take my responsibilities under the Argyle Declaration seriously. I’m fully aware of the delicate balance we must maintain between both countries, and I will continue to work closely with all parties involved.”
Guyana and Venezuela, through the Argyle Declaration, declared that neither party would threaten or use force against the other in any circumstance, including those consequential to any existing controversy between the two States. They further committed to good neighbourliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean; and to refrain from escalating any conflict or disagreement, whether by words or deeds, among other things.
According to Dr Gonsalves, the parties still have to meet on the matter to avoid a repetition, since it “…is not the first time since Argyle that matters have had to be mooted by us, and I’m referred to as the principal interlocutor.”
He noted that not only must the countries be considered, but also all connected parties.
Guyana’s jurisdiction
On March 1, at approximately 07:00hrs, Venezuelan naval vessel ABV Guaiqueiri PO-11-IMO 469552 sailed approximately 700 metres in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near the Prosperity floating, production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) which is operated by United States oil major ExxonMobil in the Stabroek Block.
The Venezuelan naval vessel communicated threateningly via radio that Prosperity was operating in Venezuela’s EEZ, before continuing in a southwestern direction towards other FPSOs, to which it delivered the same message.
During the radio programme, Gonsalves pointed out that the area where the incident unfolded is “undoubtedly under Guyana’s jurisdiction.”
The Guyana Government has since activated a series of responses, including the deployment of miliary resources offshore and engaging the international community, and has also sent a formal protest note to Venezuela.
Guyana reminded that all the activities which the Government of Guyana has authorised to be undertaken in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are entirely within the maritime areas appurtenant to the sovereign coastal territory of Guyana, as defined by the Arbitral Award of 1899.
Caricom, the United States, United Kingdom, the Organization of American States (OAS), and Commonwealth have all issued statements in support of Guyana’s territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, despite the Venezuelan vessel having left Guyana’s waters since Sunday, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has said the “situation is continuously being monitored”.
“And we have to be vigilant to ensure that further incursions are not made… We activated all mechanisms available to us in the region and beyond,” he affirmed during his weekly program ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday evening.
Of significance, Nandlall highlighted, is that President Dr Irfaan Ali also met with Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on the situation, where they agreed to hold a united stance in defence of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Nandlall criticised those members of the Opposition who were critical of Norton for attending the meeting with the President, deeming their positions “irresponsible”.
“There are certain times, and there will always be certain matters, when they arise, they must not be contaminated and polluted by any other issue than the issues themselves. And the sovereignty of our country – our national security, our territorial integrity – are paramount among those issues that, when they arise, they require our unadulterated, unreserved and undiluted attention,” Nandlall said.
Guyana reminded that all the activities which the Government of Guyana has authorised to be undertaken in its EEZ are entirely within the maritime areas appurtenant to the sovereign coastal territory of Guyana, as defined by the Arbitral Award of 1899.
Guyana had previous moved to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a final and binding ruling that the Arbitral Award determined the boundary between the two South American neighbours.
Only in December last, Guyana filed submissions of Reply to Venezuela’s counter-memorial, and the Spanish-speaking nation was given until August 8, 2025 by the World Court to submit its Rejoinder, the final written pleading in the case.
