PM pleased with recent Guyana-Venezuela talks

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said he is pleased with the outcome of the Thursday January, 22, 2024 meeting held in Brazil between the foreign ministers of Guyana and Venezuela on the border issue between the two countries.

He spoke with SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday afternoon January 30, 2024, on the sidelines of a tour of the Sandals St. Vincent Resort in Buccament Bay.

“I have read the report. We had our ambassador from Venezuela, His Excellency Gareth Bynoe present there, and he has already sent me a detailed report, and you would have seen from the statements made by both Venezuela and Guyana separately. They have different stances but people are talking, and that’s the important issue and we will get there in the end, but we have to talk, and talk, and talk.”

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was host to the historic meeting between President Irfaan Ali of Guyana, and Nicolas Maduro, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on Thursday December, 14, 2023 at the VIP Lounge of the Argyle International Airport, following which the Declaration of Argyle was signed by both countries.

Dr. Gonsalves is the chief interlocutor in the talks between the two countries as the region seeks to avert war and have the Caribbean remain a Zone of Peace.

The two nations are in dispute over the 160,000 square kilometre oil-rich Essequibo region claimed by Venezuela and which Guyana has taken to the International Court of Justice.

Another meeting, as agreed, is scheduled to be held in March in Brazil between Presidents Ali and Maduro following the CELAC meeting here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.