GEORGETOWN, Guyana — President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday warned that Guyana will firmly defend its sovereignty amid growing tensions with Venezuela, even as he stressed that Guyana harbors no hostility toward the Venezuelan people.
Ali made the remarks while addressing graduates of the Guyana Defence Force’s Standard Officers’ Course, noting that Guyana’s longstanding border controversy with Venezuela remains before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and must be resolved peacefully under international law.
“Our commitment to diplomacy must never be mistaken for weakness,” Ali said. “We will protect our citizens, our soldiers, and every inch of our territory.”
The Guyanese leader emphasized that thousands of Venezuelan migrants have been welcomed into Guyana, and that the dispute is with the Venezuelan government—not its people. He said the controversy “is not born of hatred,” but warned that Guyana “will not compromise its sovereignty.”
The ICJ has twice confirmed it has jurisdiction over the case and in 2023 ordered Venezuela to maintain the status quo while proceedings continue. Despite this, Ali accused Caracas of escalating tensions by passing domestic laws claiming Guyana’s resource-rich Essequibo region and issuing threats of annexation.
In one of the most serious incidents, Guyana said a Venezuelan Coast Guard vessel entered its Exclusive Economic Zone on March 1, 2025, near oil production facilities, and issued threatening radio messages to crews operating at the Prosperity floating production storage and offloading vessel. Caracas described the waters as “disputed,” a claim Guyana and international observers reject.
The Organisation of American States, CARICOM, the United States, France and several other partners condemned the incursion as a violation of international law. Guyanese authorities have also reported recent armed attacks along the Cuyuni River, where gunmen allegedly fired from the Venezuelan side of the border.
“Guyana’s territorial space will remain a space we will defend,” Ali said. “We will defend it with our partners, with our allies, and with all who stand for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.”
The border dispute dates back more than a century but has intensified in recent years following major oil discoveries offshore Guyana. The ICJ case is ongoing.