Iva Wharton
Guyana petitioned the International Court of Justice seeking provisional measures to block Venezuela from moving ahead with elections to name a governor for the Essequibo Region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement Guyana informed the court that the planned Venezuelan elections are scheduled to take place on May 25, 2025, and would inevitably be preceded by preparatory acts, including acts within Guyana’s Essequibo, affecting the Guyanese population and Guyana’s sovereignty over its territory.
The Ministry said to preserve its right, Guyana is requesting that the court order’s Venezuela to refrain from any actions within or affecting its sovereign territory, including the Essequibo Region.
According to the statement, this is the second time that Guyana has sought provisional measures from the court. The first request saw the court on December 1, 2023, ordering Venezuela to refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute which Guyana administers and exercises control over.
Guyana has therefore requested an urgent hearing on the matter with the hope the provisional measures being granted before serious and irremediable prejudice to Guyana’s rights occurs.