As Venezuela pushes forward with its controversial plans to hold an election in Guyana’s Essequibo region, Canada has issued a firm call for Caracas to stand down, warning that such actions directly violate international law.
In a statement released Saturday, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin, called on Venezuela to refrain from holding elections in the disputed Essequibo territory, a move he described as contrary to a binding ruling handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on May 1, 2025.
“The International Court of Justice is seized with the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela,” Sigouin said. “Canada reiterates its support for Guyana’s sovereignty and urges Venezuela to respect the ICJ May 1, 2025, provisions.”
The ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN), ordered Venezuela on May 1 to refrain from any action that would change the current status of the disputed territory.
This includes the organisation of elections or the appointment of officials in Essequibo, a mineral-rich region that comprises nearly two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass.
Despite the court’s ruling, Venezuela is expected to proceed on Sunday with an election to install a so-called Governor of Essequibo – a provocative move that has raised alarms across the region and among international partners.
“Venezuela must refrain tomorrow [Sunday] from holding elections of a Governor of the Essequibo Region,” Sigouin stressed, referencing the ICJ’s binding provisional measures designed to maintain peace and stability while the court considers the substantive border case.
The border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, which dates back to the 19th century, is currently before the ICJ, which Guyana and the majority of the international community recognise as the competent body to resolve the matter peacefully.
