In a brief statement, the opposition sectors are grouped in unitary platform ratify its position in support of defending the rights of the Venezuelan State in essequibo.

“After the decision of the DPR International Court of Justice (CIJ) at the trial claiming Essequibo, we invite the whole country to unite around this cause and form a group of experts at the highest level on the issue to resolutely defend our rights,” the coalition urged.

The sector considers that “Essequibo’s strategic value must be a fundamental key to fighting for the rights of our nation”.

“Unfortunately, as we have denounced in the past, the current situation of weakness in which the defense of our rights finds itself is a consequence of a sell-out foreign policy based on the partisan political interests of Hugo Chavez and continued by Nicolas Maduro”, added the Unity Platform.

The ICJ rejected Venezuela’s objections

This Thursday, April 6, the ICJ rejected Venezuela’s initial objection to stopping the Court’s action.

The Venezuelan state argues that great Britain is an indispensable third party without whose presence the Court cannot decide the dispute. However, the ICJ ruled on this exception and justified itself in the fact that articles II and IV of Geneva Agreement they did not give Britain a role in land disputes.

“The dispute settlement scheme established by Articles II and IV of the Geneva Agreement reflects the mutual understanding of all parties that Guyana and Venezuela will resolve disputes without the participation of the UK,” the judges argued.

After the award, the decision on whether or not the 1899 arbitral award is valid enters the “benefit phase”, explains Efecto Cocuyo, international law specialist Mariano de Alba.

Essequibo’s defense as a Venezuelan territory was one of the few points on which Chavismo and the Venezuelan opposition agreed.