VENEZUELA AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
The US’s intimidatory deployment of military resources in the Caribbean Sea, allegedly to disrupt the flow of drugs from Venezuela to the US, was expanded from the eight warships, carrying surface to air and surface to surface missiles, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft, by the addition of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford. Apart from an arsenal of missiles and radars, the Gerald Ford carries 75 aircraft. One US official said that the aircraft carrier will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle transnational criminal organisations. Since the initial deployment weeks ago, there have been 10 strikes against alleged drug vessels killing 40 people. There are clear indications that US forces intend to operate within Venezuela ostensibly targeting drug facilities.
Much international concern has been expressed at the actions of the US which, it is claimed, violates international law by bombing vessels and killing their occupants without any evidence that they are involved in drug trafficking. Maintaining the Caribbean Sea as a zone of peace is a major Caricom concern. On October 18 the Caricom Heads of Government reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the Caribbean as a zone of peace and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict.
Heads reiterated their continuing commitment to fighting narcotrafficking and the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons which adversely affect the Region. They underscored that efforts to overcome these challenges should be through ongoing international cooperation and international law. They reaffirmed unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the Region and the safety and livelihoods of the people of the Region. Guyana is part of this statement and issued its own statement reflecting the sentiments in the Caricom Heads’ statement. Trinidad and Tobago expressed reservations. Trinidad had expressly supported the US’s actions.
Caricom’s approach to the issue of US threats against Venezuela blithely ignores the violation of human rights by, and electoral fraud in, Venezuela whose government has political prisoners and is illegitimate, having blatantly rigged the recent general elections. The collapse of the Venezuelan economy has resulted in 8 million refugees spread across Guyana, countries in the Caribbean and Latin America and the US. Some of Venezuela’s economic problems are indeed caused by economic sanctions by the US, triggered not only by Venezuela’s violation of human rights but by President Maduro’s fake anti-imperialist postures. He offered Venezuela’s oil industry to the US if it would call off its military operations. Venezuela’s genuine anti-imperialist postures under President Chavez did not disrupt relations with the West to any significant degree because Chavez did not rig elections and jail his opponents and kill demonstrators. While any violation of international law is egregious and must be called out, ignoring Venezuela’s imposition of a dictatorship on its people is like Caricom giving the Burnham/Hoyte dictatorship a free ride for decades while the Guyanese people groaned under authoritarian rule and economic hardships.
If this were all, maybe Caricom could have been excused. But Venezuela has been a serial violator of international law. As far back as 1966, before the ink was dry on Guyana’s Independence Order, Venezuela invaded Guyana’s half of Ankoko Island and has steadfastly retained control of it. It has now constructed a military base on the Island the objective of which can only be to carry out military activities against Guyana. Venezuela has established military facilities and stationed troops on its border areas with Guyana.
Venezuela is in gross violation of the Geneva Agreement signed in 1966 to resolve the controversy arising from Venezuela’s contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899 is null and void. The Geneva Agreement provided for the Secretary General of the United Nations (UNSG) to choose one of the means of settlement of disputes set out in Article 33 of the UN Charter where specified methods of settlement have not succeeded in resolving the controversy. In 2018, after all prior efforts, based on provisions of the Geneva Agreement, failed to resolve the controversy, the UNSG chose to refer the matter to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ). Venezuela rejected the decision of the UNSG and has refused to recognise the jurisdiction of the ICJ. This gross violation of international law by Venezuela has not been called out.
The Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela was signed by the two countries in St. Vincent on December 3, 2023. The Declaration committed the parties as follows: not to threaten or use force, directly or indirectly against one another; to pursue good neighbourlinessand peaceful coexistence; agreed to continue dialogue on any other pending matters of mutual importance; agreed to refrain by words or deed from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them. On March 1, 2025, a Venezuelan warship entered Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and, in a threatening manner, approached the Liza Destiny and demanded information from its crew. This was in blatant violation of the Declaration of Argyle.
Is Venezuela, as a serial violator of international law, entitled to the protection of international law? Trinidad and Tobago thinks not! Caricom, including Guyana, are silent!
