CARACAS – Venezuela has formally told the International Court of Justice in The Hague that it does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction in its long-running territorial dispute with Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
The contested Essequibo territory, which makes up about 70 percent of Guyana’s landmass, has become one of the most geopolitically sensitive border disputes in South America due to its vast reserves of oil, gas, and other natural resources. The area also includes offshore waters where major oil discoveries have transformed Guyana into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers.
Guyana brought the case before the ICJ in 2018, seeking confirmation of the 1899 arbitral award that established the border and granted the territory to what was then British Guiana. Venezuela, however, maintains that the agreement was fraudulent and invalid, arguing that the matter should instead be resolved through direct bilateral negotiations under the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
During this week’s hearings in The Hague, Venezuelan representatives reiterated that they reject the court’s authority to decide the case, despite the ICJ having already ruled in earlier procedural decisions that it has jurisdiction to hear Guyana’s claim. Guyana, in turn, argues that Venezuela’s continued claim over the territory threatens its sovereignty, peace, and economic development.
Tensions between the neighboring countries have escalated sharply in recent years, particularly after major offshore oil discoveries near the disputed region. The issue has become even more sensitive amid political changes in Venezuela and increasing regional concern over stability.
The World Court is expected to issue a final ruling later this year. While ICJ decisions are legally binding, enforcement remains dependent on international political mechanisms, including possible action through the United Nations Security Council.