Guyana and Venezuela Return to UN Court Over Essequibo Border Dispute
Guyana and Venezuela have returned to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve a long-standing border dispute over the Essequibo region, a resource-rich area claimed by both nations. The hearings, held at the Great Hall of Justice in The Hague, focus on the validity of an 1899 arbitration decision that largely favored Guyana. Venezuela argues that the decision was unfairly influenced by American and European arbitrators and was effectively nullified by a 1966 agreement. Guyana, however, seeks affirmation of the original border decision, citing it as crucial to its sovereignty. The ICJ had previously ruled in 2020 that it had jurisdiction over the case, allowing the proceedings to continue. 
