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New Venezuelan decree claims ownership over Guyana’s continental shelf

By Odeen Ishmael

 

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on May 27 issued a decree creating the “Atlantic coast of Venezuela” which now includes sovereignty over Guyana’s territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region. A map, issued to coincide with this decree, indicates that Venezuela is now claiming all the territorial waters within the 200 miles range and blocking Guyana’s access to its resources in this area of the Atlantic Ocean.

 

This new extension of Venezuela’s claim to Guyanese territorial waters was made ​​official in the presidential decree, No. 1787, and published in the Ordinary Official Gazette No. 40,669, dated May 27, 2015. It is the second decree expressing a claim to Guyana’s territorial waters; the first, issued by President Raul Leoni forty-seven years ago in July 1968, purportedly claimed “sovereignty” over a twelve-mile strip of Guyana’s continental shelf along the Essequibo coast.

 

The Maduro decree is set amid Venezuela’s objection over oil exploration and concessions granted by Guyana to the US oil company, Exxon-Mobil, to explore 23,000 square kilometers of the Stabroek Block located within the area into which the new territorial claim is now extended. Earlier this year when Exxon-Mobil was about to drill an exploratory well in the area, Venezuela claimed the drilling area as part of its territorial sea. The oil company recently announced a significant discovery of hydrocarbons in the drilling area.

 

By this decree, the Venezuela government has also created the so-called “Areas of Integral Defense of Marine Zones and Islands,” thus ratifying its maritime sovereignty over the waters of the parts of the Caribbean and off the coast of Guyana. In doing so, it now claims sovereignty over the continental shelf and a projection of the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region of Guyana, and even stretching into part of Suriname’s maritime space.

 

Commenting on this latest move by her government, Foreign Minister Delcy RodrÍguez, according to the June 5 issue of the Venezuelan paper, El Estimulo, said it was aimed at the “defense of the Essequibo.”

 

 

GV

         

The ONSA map showing the new Venezuelan claim (shown in green)

 

As a follow-up to the latest decree, a map showing the new claim was prepared by the National Organization for Maritime Safety (ONSA), a non-governmental organization comprising merchants, sports and retired naval officers. According to Commodore Nicolas Goshenko, the chairman of ONSA, the new map was made under the coordinates provided by the Venezuelan government as stipulated the presidential decree. Saying that his country’s claim to the area must be defended, he added that ONSA acted independently in creating the map showing a claim to almost all of Guyana’s territorial waters.

 

Goshenko declined to comment on possible actions that could take Guyana with the presidential decree saying, “That’s a problem of Guyana.”

However, diplomatic expert Dr. Sadio Garavini, who served as Venezuela’s ambassador to Guyana in the 1980s, as reported by El Estimulo on June 5, was cautious about the effect of the new decree, and he urged his country’s Foreign Ministry to clarify the scope of the new “Areas of Integral Defense of Maritime Zones and Islands.”

 

He also wanted to know if the Venezuelan government had notified Guyana of this new situation. This decree is the first major confrontation by the Venezuelan government against the new administration in Guyana which assumed power less than a month ago following the general elections on May 11.

 

Dr. Odeen Ishmael served as Guyana’s ambassador to Venezuela from 2003 to 2011. He is the author of The Trail of Diplomacy – the Guyana-Venezuela Border Issue (in three volumes.

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Venezuela may present and exhibit many acts to expand their territorial claims.

 

For a long time now, Venezuela has a map in official and established places which show clearly that the Essequibo part of Guyana belongs to Venezuela.

 

However, while Venezuela's actions are startling, in reality they are simply gimmicks.

FM
Originally Posted by Wally:

The United States and Britain need to send a strong message to Venezuela.

Needs to go to arbitration or UNSC to settle/fix Guyana's borders.  UK and Russia always backed Guyana and US, Venez.  Not sure how it will go now!

FM

Will be interesting to see how the new government handles this! 

It is time to put an end to the "pourparler" kick out their ambassador, and call back ours, they have nothing on us! We can buy oil other places, but they lack everything, find other markets for rice, and let their asses starve! 

 

Guyana needs to invite the likes of U.Sm Britain, France to have bases along that border!

FM
Originally Posted by Nimoix:

Will be interesting to see how the new government handles this! 

It is time to put an end to the "pourparler" kick out their ambassador, and call back ours, they have nothing on us! We can buy oil other places, but they lack everything, find other markets for rice, and let their asses starve! 

 

Guyana needs to invite the likes of U.Sm Britain, France to have bases along that border!

Bai, you funny nuh!

FM
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by Nimoix:

Will be interesting to see how the new government handles this! 

It is time to put an end to the "pourparler" kick out their ambassador, and call back ours, they have nothing on us! We can buy oil other places, but they lack everything, find other markets for rice, and let their asses starve! 

 

Guyana needs to invite the likes of U.Sm Britain, France to have bases along that border!

Bai, you funny nuh!

Nah, I'm a Nationalist / Realist! I see no reason why Guyansee must have these clowns insulting our national integrity! 

 

Our ur country belongs to us, every part of it, end of story!

FM
Originally Posted by Nimoix:
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by Nimoix:

Will be interesting to see how the new government handles this! 

It is time to put an end to the "pourparler" kick out their ambassador, and call back ours, they have nothing on us! We can buy oil other places, but they lack everything, find other markets for rice, and let their asses starve! 

 

Guyana needs to invite the likes of U.Sm Britain, France to have bases along that border!

Bai, you funny nuh!

Nah, I'm a Nationalist / Realist! I see no reason why Guyansee must have these clowns insulting our national integrity! 

 

Our ur country belongs to us, every part of it, end of story!

Me know, but you still funny!

FM
Originally Posted by Wally:

The United States and Britain need to send a strong message to Venezuela.

Colombia is monitoring Venezuela, as they also have border claims with them.

 

No need to worry.  The only neighbor who Venezuela doesn't have a problem with is Brazil, for obvious reasons.

FM
Originally Posted by Nimoix:

 

 

Guyana needs to invite the likes of U.Sm Britain, France to have bases along that border!

Who is going to pay for that?  Guyana?

 

Guyana only supplies a fraction of Venezuela's rice needs.  If they do starve it will not be because Guyana didn't sell them rice.

 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by caribny:
Originally Posted by Nimoix:

 

 

Guyana needs to invite the likes of U.Sm Britain, France to have bases along that border!

Who is going to pay for that?  Guyana?

Yea, we will sell forward our oil rights 50 years for a 10 years security protection umbrella.

FM
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by caribny:
Originally Posted by Nimoix:

 

 

Guyana needs to invite the likes of U.Sm Britain, France to have bases along that border!

Who is going to pay for that?  Guyana?

Yea, we will sell forward our oil rights 50 years for a 10 years security protection umbrella.

A reason for the PPP to go. They set about alienating the western powers when it is on them we rely to defend ourselves from the rogue regime in Venezuela. Their claims are tenuous and the only have the "might" option to take it back. Now it appears to be potentially lucrative there is nothing stopping them from annexing it except the US.

 

 

THE ARTICLE

 

President Nicolas Maduro on May 27 issued a decree creating the “Atlantic coast of Venezuela” which now includes sovereignty over Guyana’s territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region. A map, issued to coincide with this decree, indicates that Venezuela is now claiming all the territorial waters within the 200 miles range and blocking Guyana’s access to its resources in this area of the Atlantic Ocean.

 

This new extension of Venezuela’s claim to Guyanese territorial waters was made ​​official in the presidential decree, No. 1787, and published in the Ordinary Official Gazette No. 40,669, dated May 27, 2015. It is the second decree expressing a claim to Guyana’s territorial waters; the first, issued by President Raul Leoni forty-seven years ago in July 1968, purportedly claimed “sovereignty” over a twelve-mile strip of Guyana’s continental shelf along the Essequibo coast.

 

The Maduro decree is set amid Venezuela’s objection over oil exploration and concessions granted by Guyana to the US oil company, Exxon-Mobil, to explore 23,000 square kilometers of the Stabroek Block located within the area into which the new territorial claim is now extended. Earlier this year when Exxon-Mobil was about to drill an exploratory well in the area, Venezuela claimed the drilling area as part of its territorial sea. The oil company recently announced a significant discovery of hydrocarbons in the drilling area.

 

By this decree, the Venezuela government has also created the so-called “Areas of Integral Defense of Marine Zones and Islands,” thus ratifying its maritime sovereignty over the waters of the parts of the Caribbean and off the coast of Guyana. In doing so, it now claims sovereignty over the continental shelf and a projection of the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region of Guyana, and even stretching into part of Suriname’s maritime space.

 

Commenting on this latest move by her government, Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, according to the June 5 issue of the Venezuelan paper, El Estimulo, said it was aimed at the “defense of the Essequibo.”

As a follow-up to the latest decree, a map showing the new claim was prepared by the National Organization for Maritime Safety (ONSA), a non-governmental organization comprising merchants, sports and retired naval officers.

 

According to Commodore Nicolas Goshenko, the chairman of ONSA, the new map was made under the coordinates provided by the Venezuelan government as stipulated the presidential decree. Saying that his country’s claim to the area must be defended, he added that ONSA acted independently in creating the map showing a claim to almost all of Guyana’s territorial waters.

 

Goshenko declined to comment on possible actions that could take Guyana with the presidential decree saying, “That’s a problem of Guyana.”

However, diplomatic expert Dr. Sadio Garavini, who served as Venezuela’s ambassador to Guyana in the 1980s, as reported by El Estimulo on June 5, was cautious about the effect of the new decree, and he urged his country’s Foreign Ministry to clarify the scope of the new “Areas of Integral Defense of Maritime Zones and Islands.”

 

He also wanted to know if the Venezuelan government had notified Guyana of this new situation. This decree is the first major confrontation by the Venezuelan government against the new administration in Guyana which assumed power less than a month ago following the general elections on May 11.

 

Dr. Odeen Ishmael served as Guyana’s ambassador to Venezuela from 2003 to 2011. He is the author of The Trail of Diplomacy – the Guyana-Venezuela Border Issue (in three volumes.

FM
Last edited by Former Member

The only reason why the USA is interested in the Venezuela Guyana dispute is because they don't like Maduro.  The next election will see a Venezuelan gov't more to their liking, and suddenly Guyana will become "unimportant".

 

I suggest that the gov't make as much diplomatic progress to resolve this issue before that happens.  A center right Venezuelan regime will be even more hostile to Guyana than Chavez was.  And will enjoy more US support.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by caribny:

The only reason why the USA is interested in the Venezuela Guyana dispute is because they don't like Maduro.  The next election will see a Venezuelan gov't more to their liking, and suddenly Guyana will become "unimportant".

 

I suggest that the gov't make as much diplomatic progress to resolve this issue before that happens.  A center right Venezuelan regime will be even more hostile to Guyana than Chavez was.  And will enjoy more US support.

Correct

FM
Originally Posted by Wally:

The United States and Britain need to send a strong message to Venezuela.

For a man who sees America as the personification of evil you sure lean on them a lot. They won't be "interventionist" now, eh bai? Send your message with Guyana's water cannon!

FM
Originally Posted by warrior:

maybe this claim will unity the people  

Did not in the 70's (I think) when Venezuela made the initial claims. LFS had a fiery speech with "not a blade of Grass" of which the Tradewinds made a song. Unfortunately the division in our country continued.

FM
Originally Posted by Itaname:
Originally Posted by warrior:

maybe this claim will unity the people  

Did not in the 70's (I think) when Venezuela made the initial claims. LFS had a fiery speech with "not a blade of Grass" of which the Tradewinds made a song. Unfortunately the division in our country continued.

do you think after 40 yrs the world is not more educated or may i say Guyanese we see it in the last election do not underestimate a person love for one country  

FM

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