Guyana and Venezuela face ICJ hearings over Essequibo ownership
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 4
Guyana and Venezuela face ICJ hearings over Essequibo ownership
12 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 4
At The Hague, Guyana said 70% of its territory is at stake in the weeklong case over the resource-rich region near major offshore oil deposits.
Guyana wants judges to uphold an 1899 arbitration award, while Venezuela argues a 1966 agreement nullified that border settlement and backs its own longstanding claim.
The ICJ ruled in 2020 that it had jurisdiction and in 2025 ordered Venezuela not to hold elections for officials meant to govern Essequibo; Venezuela opens on Wednesday.
Can Guyana secure its oil-rich land at court while its wealth is signed away in contracts?
Now that Maduro is captured, will Venezuela abandon its claim to Guyana's massive oil wealth?