Delcy Rodriguez travels to The Hague for ICJ Guyana land dispute case
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 9
Delcy Rodriguez travels to The Hague for ICJ Guyana land dispute case
15 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 9
The acting Venezuelan president said the trip would be her first abroad since President Nicolas Maduro was abducted by US forces in January.
The case centres on the oil-rich Essequibo region, administered by Guyana but claimed by Venezuela, and on whether an 1899 border ruling or a 1966 agreement should prevail.
Essequibo makes up about two-thirds of Guyana, and ExxonMobil's offshore discoveries there have given the country the world's largest per capita crude reserves.
Can Venezuela's unpopular leader trade oil concessions for US support while also winning its territorial dispute with Guyana?
Will a court ruling on a colonial-era border derail Guyana's oil boom and redraw South America's energy map?
The Essequibo Dispute: ICJ Hearings, Oil Wealth, and the High-Stakes Venezuela-Guyana Border Crisis
Overview
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently holding hearings on the disputed Essequibo region, having twice affirmed its jurisdiction and issued provisional measures to maintain the status quo. Venezuela has been ordered not to interfere with Guyana’s administration or hold elections in the area. Amid these proceedings, Delcy Rodriguez became acting president of Venezuela, following the lifting of US sanctions against her. Her leadership is marked by efforts to balance international demands and domestic pressures, all while the ICJ’s strengthened measures aim to prevent any unilateral changes in the contested territory. This highlights the complex interplay of legal, political, and diplomatic factors shaping the dispute.