Walton-Desir calls for an urgent meeting of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations in the wake of the latest Venezuelan action

Opposition Member of Parliament with responsibility for Foreign Affairs, Amanza Walton-Desir, has written to Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd, overlooks calling for the urgent convening of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations in wake of Venezuela’s purported creation of a
new state in Guyana’s Essequibo.

In a statement this afternoon, Walton-Desir said he described the latest development in Caracas as “extremely troubling”, declaring it as a clear breach of the Argyle Declaration as well as the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which had unanimously ruled that Venezuela should refrain from taking any action which would interfere with Guyana’s administration of the Essequibo region and that both parties should refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute currently
before the court.

MP Walton-Desir reminded that she wrote to the Foreign Minister back in February written to the Minister requesting that the committee be convened in order to receive official updates on the reports on the
buildup of Venezuelan troops on the border.

She said there was never any response to her request.

The Opposition Member of Parliament said she is concerned that the failure of the government to share information with the Parliamentary Opposition in a timely manner, undermines the ability to provide
critical support on this national issue.

The Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations last met on the 21st November 2023.