MADRID, November 10 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry criticized the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, for his position on the disputed Essequibo region, under Georgetown’s control but Caracas claims as its own.

“They intend to abdicate their responsibilities in the tensions generated by Guyana regarding the territorial controversy regarding Guayana Esequiba,” said Foreign Minister Yvan Gil this Friday in a statement published on the X social network.

This came after his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, recalled in a press conference that he did not take a position on the matter and that the body in charge of passing the resolution was the International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague (States). Low).

In this case, Gil assured that the process was sent to the organization “without the will of either party.” “What is the point of taking this case to the ICJ without the consent of important parties, such as Venezuela, which violates the Geneva agreement?” he asked.

“This action marks a turning point in the behavior of Guyana, which has abandoned diplomatic channels of direct dialogue, taking decisions that challenge international legality and threaten the peace and stability of the Caribbean region,” he added.

The Essequibo is a region covering 159,542 kilometers that has important natural resources – oil, gas, mining, hydraulic and forestry – as well as great tourism potential. It is administered by Guyana based on an 1899 arbitration decision.

Guyana argues that Caracas agreed to cede the Essequibo after the decision was taken in 1899, but Venezuela later revoked the decision. Caracas relies on a treaty signed in 1966 in Geneva between Venezuela and Britain, Guyana’s former colonial power, which recognized that the Essequibo was a disputed territory.

The ICJ opened the case at Guyana’s request in 2018 and has since decided to declare itself competent in the matter, despite Venezuela’s objection to the judicial process.