“We are not idle,” President Ali says borders under full surveillance, international allies engaged
President Dr. Irfaan Ali has sent a strong and unequivocal message to the Venezuelan government: Guyana’s sovereignty is not up for negotiation, and any attempt to violate its territorial integrity, whether symbolically or practically, will be met with firm resistance.
Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of an event on Monday, President Ali made it clear that authorities are actively monitoring the borders and engaging international allies as Venezuela escalates its unlawful claims over the Essequibo region.
“I want to assure all Guyanese that we are not idle, we are not sitting back. The Guyana Defence Force, the government, and our strategic partners are fully engaged and operational. Every inch of our territory will be protected,” President Ali declared.
His comments come in response to Venezuela’s provocative announcement of elections scheduled for May 25, 2025, in Guyana’s Essequibo region, a move the President slammed as a blatant breach of international law and a direct defiance of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Earlier this month, the ICJ reaffirmed that Venezuela must refrain from taking any steps in the disputed area, including preparations for such elections.
The President underscored that Guyana, as a rules-based democracy, remains fully committed to the authority of the Court and to the principles of international law.
“Let me be clear: Essequibo is Guyanese. It has always been, and it will remain so,” President Ali said firmly. “What Venezuela is attempting is a reckless political stunt, one that has no legitimacy in the eyes of the international community and violates the very core of lawful conduct between nations.”
He noted that all of Guyana’s foreign partners have been updated regularly, and the country continues to build strong diplomatic defenses alongside its military vigilance.
The longstanding boundary dispute dates back over a century, with the border conclusively settled by the 1899 Arbitral Award, an agreement accepted by both Guyana (then British Guiana) and Venezuela until the 1960s.
“Guyana’s sovereign space is not for debate. We will not yield, we will not flinch, and we will not be provoked into complacency. The world is watching, and we are ready.”
