Guyanese who support Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo face charges of treason

The Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn delivered a stern warning that got loud and approving applause from Guyana’s men and women in uniform. 

On Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the Inspectors’ and Sergeants’ Conference 2025, Minister Benn said any Guyanese who pledges support for Venezuela’s planned elections for a Governor of Essequibo will be charged with treason.

“If it is a Guyanese who is appointed to be governor of Essequibo and emplaced at Anna Regina, we will charge that person for treason and lock them up…And anybody who is supporting them will likewise be charged,” warned Minister Benn.

On January 7, 2025, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro announced his intention to hold an election for the “Governor of the Guayana Esequiba” by “the people of Guayana Esequiba.” 

The Government of Guyana condemned the move and said it was a clear violation of the Argyle Agreement which the two countries signed in December 2023.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation called it a flagrant violation of fundamental principles of international law.

In December 2023, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a binding order that Venezuela refrain from actions that would compromise Guyana’s administration and control of the Essequibo territory.

And on March 6, Guyana asked the ICJ to issue an injunction to prevent the Maduro regime from holding an illegal election to appoint a governor for its Essequibo region.

“The issue of Essequibo which was settled in the 1899 Arbitral Award was settled a long time ago with Venezuela showing no interest until they were faced with political problems and upon Guyana’s oil discovery,” Minister Benn said.

Citing the recent interception of some 75 Venezuelan nationals on Guyana’s territory, Minister Benn said the group had evaded three or four places where they could have had access to Guyana’s immigration authority.

“We put them out, seized the boat and the engine. We do not want people to come here and be sleepers. We do not want people to come and not be recognised and identified. We know that there are some sleepers here. We’ve put out a few already,” Minister Benn said.

The home affairs minister said that Venezuelans are free to “come on the Cuyuni at Eterinbang for the purposes of innocent passage, the same applies to our Maritime Exclusive Economic Zone, but they don’t have to take off their AIS so we don’t know where they are and intimidate people, that’s not innocent passage,” Minister Benn said.

Tensions between the two countries have been escalating in recent months due to the reckless actions of Maduro’s government in Caracas.

In February, six Guyanese soldiers were injured while on a resupply mission along the Cuyuni River after suspected Venezuelan gang members opened fire on them.

And earlier this month, a Venezuelan coastguard patrol entered Guyana’s waters and threatened an off-shore oil facility operated by ExxonMobil.

The intrusion led President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali to trigger a military response which included the deployment of air assets and Guyana’s coastguard. 

At the time the head of state said “Guyana remains committed to peace and the rule of law. We will continue to pursue diplomatic solutions, but we will not tolerate threats to our territorial integrity.”

Minister Benn pointed out that President Ali was in the United States and having discussions to shore up support with Guyana’s international partners.

“We don’t have warships and the planes and all these things to deal with them in the ways that should be done. So, we have to get support, but at these places and with these interests, while we try to build up our asset capacity and training,” the minister promised. 

Minister Benn told the inspectors and sergeants that “Guyana will be nothing without Essequibo, the mineral resources, the trees…it is ours.”