The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has reaffirmed its “longstanding and unequivocal support” for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in a statement issued in response to concerns raised by President Irfaan Ali over the display of Venezuelan territorial claims during regional engagements.
CARICOM said it had taken note of recent official engagements within the Community during which material asserting Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region was publicly displayed, as well as Ali’s April 28, 2026 letter expressing “grave concern.”
“Community platforms and engagements should not be used, whether directly or indirectly, to advance or appear to legitimise claims that are the subject of ongoing judicial proceedings,” the regional bloc stated, underscoring its commitment to unity, the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The statement comes after Ali wrote to CARICOM Chairman and St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew warning that such displays risk being interpreted as “acquiescence or tolerance” and urging vigilance in safeguarding the Community’s principled position.
CARICOM reiterated that while each Member State retains the sovereign right to conduct bilateral relations with external partners, those engagements must be consistent with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas — the Community’s binding legal framework — and with principles of international law, respect for judicial processes and good neighbourly relations.
The regional body also emphasised that Member States, in exercising their sovereign rights, must remain mindful of their collective responsibilities to preserve the integrity and cohesion of the Community in their external relations.
The development follows recent visits by Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez to CARICOM countries, including Grenada and Barbados, where she held bilateral discussions with regional leaders. During those engagements, imagery asserting Venezuela’s claim to the Essequibo region was prominently displayed, prompting concern from Guyana.
In his correspondence, Ali described the actions as a “calculated and provocative assertion” of a claim that Guyana has consistently rejected and which is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final adjudication.
He stressed that Venezuela cannot seek to normalise its claim through symbols, maps, legislation or official actions while the matter remains before the Court, warning that such conduct undermines confidence in its stated commitment to peaceful settlement and international law.
The controversy centres on the resource-rich Essequibo region, which Guyana maintains was definitively settled by the 1899 Arbitral Award. Venezuela revived its claim decades later, and the matter is now before the ICJ, where Guyana is seeking a final and binding resolution.
CARICOM reiterated that its position remains firm and unchanged — support for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for the peaceful resolution of the controversy through the judicial process.