By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — On the 60th anniversary of the 1966 Geneva Agreement, Guyana has issued a firm rejection of Venezuela’s latest attempts to delegitimize the ongoing proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In a statement released on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, the government described Venezuela’s assertions as “legally unfounded and misleading,” maintaining that the judicial route is the only lawful path to a final resolution.
The milestone anniversary comes amid heightened regional tensions, as Guyana continues to defend its sovereignty over the Essequibo region against intensifying claims from Caracas.
The Legal Bedrock: The Geneva Agreement (1966)
Signed on February 17, 1966, by the United Kingdom and Venezuela—and later acceded to by Guyana upon independence—the Geneva Agreement remains the primary legal framework for the controversy.
- Purpose of the Agreement: Contrary to Venezuelan narratives, Guyana emphasizes that the Agreement was never intended to nullify the 1899 Arbitral Award. Instead, it established a peaceful mechanism to resolve the “controversy” that arose from Venezuela’s 1962 reversal of its long-standing acceptance of the 1899 boundary.
- The Judicial Mandate: The Agreement authorizes the UN Secretary-General to select the means of settlement if negotiations fail. In 2018, Secretary-General António Guterres selected the ICJ, a decision Guyana maintains is binding on both parties.
Countering “Misleading” Claims
The Guyanese government addressed several specific assertions recently made by the Maduro administration:
- Status of the 1899 Award: Guyana reiterated that the 1899 Arbitral Award definitively established the land boundary, which was physically demarcated in 1905 and respected by both sides for over 60 years.
- ICJ Jurisdiction: While Venezuela has repeatedly objected to the Court’s jurisdiction, the ICJ has twice affirmed it—once in a landmark 2020 judgment and again in 2023.
- Provisional Measures: The Court has already issued orders to preserve the status quo and prevent actions that could escalate the dispute. Guyana maintains it is fully compliant and urges Venezuela to abandon its “unilateral” approach.
Timeline of the Controversy
| Year | Milestone |
| 1899 | Arbitral Award establishes the Guyana-Venezuela border. |
| 1962 | Venezuela reverses its position, claiming the 1899 Award is “null and void.” |
| 1966 | The Geneva Agreement is signed to seek a peaceful resolution. |
| 1990–2017 | The UN “Good Offices” process fails to resolve the issue. |
| 2018 | The UN Secretary-General refers the case to the ICJ. |
| 2023 | ICJ reaffirms its jurisdiction to hear the case on its merits. |
| 2026 | 60th Anniversary of the Geneva Agreement. |
A Call for International Law
As it commemorates six decades of the Geneva Agreement, Guyana has renewed its call for Venezuela to respect the authority of the ICJ and the peaceful judicial process. The government reaffirmed its commitment to defending its territorial integrity, stressing that the 160,000-square-kilometer Essequibo region remains an inseparable part of the Guyanese state.
“Guyana dismisses Venezuela’s assertions… describing them as legally unfounded and misleading. The Agreement expressly authorises a lawful process that culminates in a final and binding decision by the ICJ,” the government’s statement concluded.
