Guyana Tells Court 70% of Territory at Stake

Guyana told the International Court of Justice on Monday that 70 percent of its territory is at stake as landmark hearings over the long-disputed Essequibo region got underway in The Hague — a case that could reshape the map of South America.

Foreign Minister Hugh Hilton told the court the dispute has been a blight on Guyana’s existence as a sovereign state from its very beginning, while Guyana’s legal team dismissed Venezuela’s arguments as neither new nor legally sound, saying they have already been rejected by the court.

The Essequibo region — rich in gold, diamonds, timber and other natural resources — also sits close to massive offshore oil deposits, making the stakes in the case enormously high.

An 1899 arbitration decision drew the border largely in Guyana’s favor. Venezuela, however, contends that a 1966 agreement effectively nullified that ruling and has claimed the territory as its own since the Spanish colonial period.

Guyana brought the case to the ICJ in 2018. The court established its jurisdiction in 2020 and in 2025 ordered Venezuela to refrain from holding elections for officials who would supposedly oversee the region.

Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, has been seen wearing a pin in the shape of the Essequibo region during recent visits to Grenada and Barbados — a gesture that has become increasingly common among Venezuelan government officials following the removal of Nicolas Maduro from power.

Venezuela is scheduled to present its opening arguments on Wednesday.