Venezuela dismisses Guyana's border attack claim as 'setup'

The Venezuelan government, through its Foreign Minister Yván Gil, has strongly refuted Guyana's claims of an attack on its border patrol. In statements made via X, Gil characterized the accusation as a "story and a setup," suggesting it is a tactic employed by Guyana to distract from the ongoing territorial dispute over the Esequibo region.

Venezuela maintains that the only legitimate path to resolving this controversy is through the 1966 Geneva Agreement. Gil asserted that Guyana's "recurrent smoke screens" will not obscure the "historical, legal, and political truth" nor their refusal to adhere to the agreed-upon mechanism.

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It is already exhausting that the Government of Guyana resorts, again and again, to these types of stories and setups precisely when procedures related to the territorial controversy over the Guayana Esequiba occur.

This incident unfolds against the backdrop of oral arguments being presented at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague concerning the Esequibo territory. Venezuela has consistently rejected the ICJ's jurisdiction in this matter, viewing the 1899 arbitration award that established the border as illegitimate. From Venezuela's perspective, Guyana's actions are a desperate attempt to manipulate international opinion and legal proceedings.

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These recurrent smoke screens will not hide your defeat in the face of truth nor your refusal to comply with the only mechanism agreed upon by the parties.