Our

Nicolás Maduro Moros President of the Bolivarian Republic of

“Venezuela must keep reasserting its fair claim over the Essequibo with more strength than ever in accordance with international law and through peaceful means. That is the reason why my first word and my first call is for national union, men and women of this Homeland”.

Speech at the special session of the National Assembly, Federal Legislative Palace, , July 6, 2015

Our Essequibo

Nicolás Maduro Moros President of the Bolivarian Our Essequibo Speech at the special session of the National Assem- bly, Federal Legislative Palace, Caracas, July 6, 2015

Ministry of the People’s Power for Communication and Information Final Bulevar Panteón, Torre Ministerio del Poder Po- pular para la Comunicación y la Información, Parro- quia Altagracia, Caracas-Venezuela Phones (0212) 8028314 – 8028315 RIF: G - 20003090-9

Nicolás Maduro Moros President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Desire Santos Amaral Minister of the People´s Power for Communication and Information Rolando Corao Vice minister for Communication and Information Dalia Eloisa Lagonell Vice minister for Print Media

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Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela October, 2015

The board of the National Assembly and other government and military powers supported President Nicolás Maduro

Nicolás Maduro Moros PRESIDENT OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, CARACAS, JULY 6, 2015

A call for the union of the people ment when our homeland, as I have been denouncing in the past weeks, is being ear fellow citizens, I would like to targeted by new forms of harassment and Dgreet the entire people of Venezu- aggression, surreptitious provocations ela. The purpose of my presence here to- stated in an open and public manner that day before the Legislative Branch of the may constitute a serious threat to peace Homeland, the lawful Legislature of our in our country and our region. Homeland, our National Assembly, is to I admit that with a group of experts call upon our people and the institutions on the Essequibo issue and geostrate- of our country, to get the record straight gic and geopolitical matters of our re- from a historical perspective at a mo- gion, we have been delving into these 7 subjects, which somehow as time went As it is known by our people and the by have not always been present in the brotherly peoples of Latin America and public agenda of our country. If we asked the , we have always cham- younger and not so young generations pioned cooperation, peace, integration, about the dispossession of the Essequi- bo in the 19th century, about the Treaty through dialogue and international law; union, respect, resolution of conflicts of Paris and how the the foreign policy priority in the Bolivar- was imposed1 to dispossess our coun- ian Republic, in many cases predicated try from the Essequibo, maybe only a upon historic traditions of the 19th and few would be able to answer some basic 20th century, has been the promotion of questions about the intricacies of this solid foundations of understanding, re- case that has been an open wound in spect and trust among peoples and lead- the heart of the Homeland for more than ers taking into account the problems and two centuries and as of late attempts are differences, but addressing them under a new model of peace diplomacy. Venezuelan people. Recently, we talked to several prime made to use it to ruffle the dignity of the Thus I declare to the Venezuela of the ministers from the Caribbean and insist- 21st century, that we uphold the ideal of ed on this because there is a massive cam- Latin-American and Caribbean union. If paign, brothers and sisters, a mendacious there is something that sets us apart in campaign to promote hate and mistrust, 21st century Venezuela is our deep respect a negative perception about the Venezu- towards the peoples of the Caribbean and elan character, its history, the libertarian Latin America which we consider sister- tradition of the people of Bolivar; multi- nations. It is not by chance that we have millionaire campaigns in each one of the been the architects and protagonists of Caribbean countries, in Colombia, trying the new system of regional organizations to instill in the collective being of these in the continent: sister nations elements of mistrust, re- vanchism and hate that may justify, at any Petrocaribe [2005] moment, the escalation of events against ALBA [2004] our country. And that is what I have come Unasur [2007] here to denounce, Mr. President Diosda- Celac [2011] do Cabello and members of the National Assembly. It is not by chance that we have actively There is a political, diplomatic, media participated in other traditional organi- and economic plot in our region to apply zations, such as Caricom and the SICA; operation pincer to the Bolivarian Ven- ezuela and thus provoke high-intensity almost obsessively, in spite of thousand it is not by chance that we stood firm, provocations, until our full membership 10, one day after the President of the conflicts. I came already here on March in Mercosur was approved. United States, Barack Obama, signed an

8 1. Summarized in the phrase “America for the Americans” was elaborated by John Quincy Adams and attributed to James Monroe in 1823. Executive Order2, a preposterous decree use to say, is working very well. Brothers which, in the words of the US government, and sisters from the MUD and brothers declared Venezuela a danger, a threat to and sisters from the Gran Polo Patriótico: the security of the United States. After a the diplomatic channel with the United protracted debate in the continent, after States is working very well. a heated debate in Venezuela, after mobi- Last year, in the midst of the famous lizing a large support of the Venezuelan guarimbas (street blockades and violent people, Latin America and the Carib- demonstrations), I launched a series of bean, we made President Barack Obama domestic and international peace initia- acknowledge that Venezuela was not a tives and appointed, in my capacity as threat and is not a threat for the United head of State, comrade Diosdado Cabello States of America. 3 Rondón as head of a diplomatic and po- More than 11 million Venezuelans, be- litical team. One year later, after going yond partisan politics and social and ide- through all that we went through, work- ological cleavages, expressed their sup- ing with our bare hands to tackle the sit- port during March and part of April. 4 uation, always with the truth. One week When I attended the Summit in Panama - on April 10 [7th Summit of the Americas], lomatic process with the United States, ago, in Haiti, we officially kicked off a dip I carried with me your force, the force with the participation of our minister of of more than 11 million compatriots. foreign affairs, comrade Delcy Rodriguez. That spiritual strength of our homeland Relations with the United States are dif- meant a lot! In just one month Venezuela achieved something that any sport com- President Obama, the United States is an ficult, very difficult. It is an empire, beyond mentator could have declared a world re- empire that seeks to rule the world, domi- cord: the President of the United States, nate us. This empire has its eyes on Vene- himself, disavowed the Executive Order zuela´ s huge oil and gas wealth. Wherever he had signed and diplomatic channels oil is found they make feel their presence, were opened to seek peace, respect and their interests and their might. Besides, understanding! We also have to acknowledge the coura- to dismantle and crush the example set in they have the unflinching determination geous admission of President Obama and Latin America and the world by the Boli- the initiative to approach us, shake hands, varian Revolution of the 21st talk to me and from there on open a dip- under the guidance of Commander Chavez century, first lomatic channel that, thanks God and the and now under this humble worker who is Virgin, as people from Eastern Venezuela here addressing you.

2. “ I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, find that the situation in Venezuela, including the ’s erosion of human rights guarantees, persecution of political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, use of violence and human rights violations and abuses in response to antigovernment protests, and arbitrary arrest and detention of antigovernment protestors, as well as the exacerbating presence of significant public corruption, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat”. 3. On April 9th, 2015, before traveling to Panama, to attend the VII Summit of the Americas in Panama: 4. On March 18, 2015 the campaign to collect signatures to request from the president of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, the derogation of the decree begins. On April 9th, 2015, President Nicolás Maduro receives the 9 boxes containing more than 11 million signatures. The main subject President Maduro talked about was the defense of the national sovereignty

National union, geo-economic interest according to the calculations made by and oil. I think nobody could deny this, the Pentagon, the CIA, the NSA [Nation- geopolitical, geo-ideological, geo-strategic al Security Agency] would not survive, I interest –we could tell this to planners and don’t remember how long, one week, one scholars, professor Pompeyo—, in destroy- month; normally, it would not even sur- ing this epitome of dignity and indepen- vive December 2013! dence that gave a new momentum to Latin I think that if there is something im- America and the Caribbean. Such is their portant —comrades, major generals and goal. That is why they attack comrade Ra- admirals, heads of the integral defense fael Correa [President of Ecuador], leader regions, the REDI. Please a round of ap- of our new Latin America, president of the plause for these men and women who CELAC [Community of Latin-American and work every day in the streets, military Caribbean States] in order to thwart his leaders of the Homeland, vice-ministers impetus, hinder his progress, mar his pres- for defense; what a military leadership tige, weaken his morale and his principles. this Homeland has! Thank you all—, if That explains the relentless attacks there is something important and I said against the Bolivarian Revolution, which this face to face to the special envoy of 10 President Obama [Thomas Shannon]; in Tripoli had no regard for human life. our comrade Diosdado and our minister When an empire uses brute force against of foreign affairs conveyed this message a country, it does not make distinctions, it in Haiti —and in the meetings that are destroys, controls, dominates, subdues, planned for the next weeks—, that every- holds down and humiliates. That is what one has to acknowledge everyone else, we have averted and shall keep repelling that Venezuela should be acknowledged to preserve peace and the political, so- as a reality. A reality that is diverse. No cial and economic life of the country. one can continue ignoring the existence Our goal is peace. Our victory is and of a powerful grassroots movement, a must always be peace, national peace, powerful movement of masses that has regional peace, regional union, national union. chavism ideals, Now, once we managed to fend off this taken up the flags of Bolivar and that an essential and majority force that cross threat and dispel it partially, neutralize identifies fully with the cut the country; wherever you go, there it, others forces got activated; but I think, comrades, ladies and gentlemen mag- of the beauty that we are. Nineteen elec- istrates; attorney general, Moral Power, you find human and cultural expressions tions, I said to President Obama in Pan- Electoral Power, Judiciary, ministers, po- ama. Just name a single political force in litical leaders of the different political this world, in Europe, in Africa, in Asia parties existing in Venezuelan society, the that had organized 19 elections in 15 or groundwork has been laid with the com- 16 years, and then had won 18 of them plicity of important political and econom- by the book and that had revamped the ic sectors from the Cooperative Republic electoral system to the point of trans- of against Venezuela. It is a seri- forming it in an object of admiration for ous and dangerous scenario that must be specialist, technicians and political lead- taken down through national union. ers from around the world, regardless of Venezuela must keep reasserting its the ideology. fair claim over the Essequibo with more It was our diplomacy of peace and strength than ever in accordance with truth that succeeded in putting together international law and through peaceful a powerful national and international means. movement that thwarted the onslaught triggered by the decree of March 9. Now That is the reason why my first word we are learning much more about the ex- men and women of this Homeland. It is and my first call is for national union, tent of the measures that were intended a matter that arouses passion. I call for a against Venezuela in the wake of the fa- debate in the Foreign Policy Commission, mous Executive Order. They were not in the plenary session of the National As- going to distinguish between your little sembly, in universities, academies. I call revolutionary red heart or some other for a revitalizing debate on these matters. color. You were going to be equally affect- Nobody might ever think that the lead- ed. These measures do not make distinc- ers of our country or our people are trog- tions, as the bombs dropped in Bagdad or lodytes. Not a single drop of blood run- 11 ning through Venezuelan veins is tainted -Who is behind this powerful cam- by the slightest intention to pillage, rob paign? or bomb any people in this world. The -Where do so many resources come blood running through our veins, is blood from? of liberators, men who gave their life for -Who is inciting the escalation of a the freedom of other peoples! And we cannot tolerate that any one in this world political-diplomatic conflict? accuses us of being an aggressive or im- between sister nations? -Who can profit from a confrontation perialist people. We cannot accept that! Guyana has a noble people. We know A plan of provocation the people of Guyana. It is a courageous We know that patience and composure melting pot of Amerindian, Afro-descen- are of the essence to process, digest dant, Indian peoples; a fusion of noble, and not to gag when you read and hear hardworking and peaceful people whose the statements made against Venezuela, minds have been for decades poisoned against our history, against our people with the worst lies to generate mistrust, by the sitting President of the Coopera- fear and hate towards the Venezuelan tive Republic of Guyana [David Granger5], people, so that they reject or ignore a vir- repulsive statements! Highly offensive for tuous people full of noble spirituality, a the dignity of a people of heroes, of lib- people who time and again fought for the erators! The people of Bolivar! freedom of this continent and for its own A provocation operation has been staged. freedom. It is a campaign of extremely Behind this operation there is Exxon Mo- offensive allegations against us. I have bil and the interest of the arms industry those statements right here. - Pentagon and in all the imperialist plans ments were made they conveyed mis- and the oil lobby, whose influence in the From the very first moment these state of the United States is decisive. A provo- trust and a mendacious message, to put it cation that we have been containing and mildly. Despite the indignation, pain and dissipating by diplomatic means. Given passion that these insults and provoca- tive attitude cause me and cause us, I am of Guyana, where we have privileged dip- obliged, as head of State and government my firm reaction against the Government lomatic-political means, a campaign has of our Homeland to prudently dissipate been unfolding that I can hardly describe. and neutralize the scheme that is being To call a brutal campaign would be an un- devised and some try to perpetuate. derstatement. In these attacks Venezuela But I want you to know, congressmen is portrayed as an imperialist country that and congresswomen, representatives of seeks to plunder and dispossess Guyana, the public branches of powers present our sister-country from the Caribbean. here today, that from the very moment the

5. On July 2nd, 2015, in his speech during the opening ceremony of the 36th Summit of Caricom, the president of Guyana, David Granger, requested from the members of the Community to condemn in the strongest terms, Venezuela’s territorial claims: “Guyana, even as the country approaches its 50th Independence anniversary next year, it is doing so with a “monkey 12 on its back”. That monkey being the unbearable burden of an “oppressive and obnoxious” claim to Guyana’s land and sea space by Venezuela”. Reference line, dispute over the

13 new Government of Guyana was installed, Venezuelan” because they do not target from the very day of Mr. David Granger´s President Maduro, they target the entire inauguration6, I sent the ambassador of nation. They attack our history and our the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in people. Now, this provocation enjoys Georgetown [Reyna Margarita Arratia] the resolute support and funding of to attempt a direct and honest dialogue. I oil transnational companies, of Exxon did it once, twice and three times. I even Mobil, of important lobbying powers in sent to Georgetown a special presidential envoy and advisor on international including the Pentagon. Washington and influential US agencies, affairs, Raul Li Causi, a young Venezuelan Faced with this threat, brothers and sis- expert on Caribbean and international ters, it is our duty as a nation to show the matters. He personally met with high- staunchest unity in order to send a clear level spokespersons of the newly elected message that will enable us to defeat the Government. scheme of violence, confrontation and How many weeks does that govern- ment have? Five weeks. The government Look at the way they portray us. I tried conflict devised against us from abroad. that currently rules our sister Coopera- tive Republic of Guyana came to power historian —I do not know if Pedro Cal- to find past references, professor and in the midst of critical social and political zadilla, president of the National Center circumstances, and Exxon Mobil played a for History, is here— and I have not found major role in its nomination, campaign allegations of this sort since 1966 at the and rise to power. time when the British empire granted in- dependence to Guyana to our days. There provocations, I made all the efforts, dear have been harsh statements but never From the very first day, aware of the brothers from the Armed Force, through derogatory and even racist like the ones dialogue and truth to dispel in time and recently delivered against our people. preventively what we already knew The president of Guyana stated some through political and intelligence infor- days ago before the CARICOM meeting: “As mation, namely that a series of actions Guyana approaches its 50th independence were going to be taken against Venezuela anniversary (2016), it is doing so with a to revive our historical claim against the monkey on its back (referring to Venezue- dispossession of the Essequibo. A long la). It is an unbearable burden of an oppres- story as you may know. Efforts should be sive and obnoxious claim to Guyana’s land make to ensure that more and more Ven- and sea spaces (he says ignoring the Gene- ezuelans know about this dispossession va Agreement). The border of Guyana with and its historical evolution in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Venezuela was fixed 116 years ago when it It is not for lack of diplomatic initiatives demarcated by international arbitration”; was determined, defined, delineated and or dialogue that the anti-Venezuelan and I must add in an award called Arbitra- statements began and I say “anti- tion Award of Paris of 1899 that Venezuela

14 6. On May 16, 2015: David Arthur Granger, 69 year old retired military officer, takes office as the eighth Chief of State of Guyana. has considered and still considers null and It is the sovereignty of our Homeland void and that was imposed through the that belongs to all of us. Monroe Doctrine to our country. We reit- It is not a matter of elections. erate that the Arbitration Award of Paris is It is not a matter of colors. null and void for Venezuela. It is not a matter of parties. The historical claim of our Homeland It is a matter that concerns the entire must be respected. Not only he disregards Nation. this claim assuming the theories invoked in the past by the British Empire, but This is a matter that I set aside from thereafter says: “...Any state that system- any internal political confrontation. I set atically, cynically and sedulously seeks it aside from electoral confrontation. I to repudiate solemn international agree- set it aside from the differences of opin- ments and to undermine the security and ion regarding the political and economic sovereignty of another state must be con- model. This is an issue that I bring for demned. Though this territorial dispute your consideration invoking the best has been alive for the past 50 years, the - Republic of Venezuela has become re- ist and patriotic sentiment. Venezuelan, nationalist, pacifist, human gressive and even more aggressive.” The president of Guyana, who has been This is the campaign systematically dis- seminated by press, radio and television in every single day – and I am not going to in power five weeks, attacks Venezuela the morning, in the afternoon and in the read the statements of the foreign minis- evening in Guyana, every single day. It is ter because I think that our beloved and a continuous campaign of intrigues and noble people do not deserve this bitter hate. Its goal is to divide us and provoke a and racist offense. Regardless of the dif- ferences that we may have, we have a the Caribbean and Latin-American union noble, great and loving people. It is the high intensity conflict that will undermine that our region has achieved after more people of Bolivar-: than a century of strenuous efforts. To “Though this territorial dispute has been bring war to our borders and land, that is alive for the past 50 years, the Republic the ultimate purpose of this strategy that of Venezuela has become regressive (he has been conceived by Exxon Mobil and includes us all so already unites us). That the Pentagon and implemented by this country continues (he says) to threaten president who is a hostage of Exxon Mobil. the development of Guyana, a CARICOM It is not a small thing, deputies from the member state, both on land and at sea. opposition! It is not a small thing! All of Mindful of its superior wealth and mili- the sudden I see disenchanted faces. tary and naval strength and unmindful of the plight of the poor people of one of I come here to request your support as the world’s smallest and least populated well because: states, has resorted to intimidation and It is the Homeland of Venezuela that the threat of the use of force...” is at stake. This is a very serious accusation for a It is peace that is at stake. president to make. Venezuela has never 15 threatened with the use of force, and diplomatic actions to stop this agent pro- never will, either the people of Guyana or vocateur, and seek a path to channel and any sister country of Latin America and reorient political and diplomatic rela- the Caribbean or the world. Venezuela is tions with Guyana and a process for repo- a peace loving country; spiritually and by sitioning the just and lawful claim on the Essequibo of Venezuela. very serious because it seeks escalation. doctrine, we are a pacifist nation. This is In international politics, language mat- Therefore, I have decided to: ters because it creates situations that can -Recall the ambassador of the Bolivar- easily escalate. This speech, intoxicated ian Republic of Venezuela in Guyana with violence and hatred, belongs to an for consultations. agent provocateur who knows how to use -Reduce the size and level of our Em- language to offend, hurt and taint. bassy in Guyana. He further adds I do not know how ma- -Order the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ny insults and abuses against our people, to review in its entirety the relations accusing us of attacking them when, on with the government of Guyana. the contrary, our country has historically privileged relations based on mutual trust I ask for the support of the country as between countries, leaders and peoples, a whole. I ask for the support of this Na- accompanied by a powerful energy, trade, tional Assembly! economic and cultural cooperation, and We extend our friendship and sincere permanent dialogue between ministries respect to all the people of the Coopera- of foreign affairs and presidents. tive Republic of Guyana. You have in Ven- If there is something we have to ac- ezuela a sister-country, a Caribbean and knowledge Commander Hugo Chavez is South-American people, a brotherly peo- that as President of the Republic since ple. I am sure that if our message reaches 1999, he inaugurated a new era of rela- you, it shall be understood by the heart tions with the Caribbean and, particu- of the humble and the people of Guyana. larly, with the Cooperative Republic of We have to react out of dignity to defend Guyana, without disregarding or surren- the fairness of our policies and peace di- dering one millimeter of our historical plomacy. We are mindful of what is hiding grievance against the dispossession of our Homeland by the British Empire. behind the effort to fuel this conflict. These attacks have been confronted History of an imperial looting through diplomatic means, however the aggression and insults against our people There is a group of experts present here. I As you know this is a protracted conflict. have only redoubled. do not pretend to replace your knowledge For this reason, I have made the deci- or role, but our children and youth must sion, and I request the unanimous sup- know that the dispossession of the Es- port from the decent, nationalist and sequibo has shaped our country for two patriotic country, from all Venezuelans, centuries or more. It is certainly a legacy; to implement a number of political and 16 an open wound inflicted by the old British colonialism. We know it because we have or attention, this matter has always been a suffered the dispossession. It is a painful national cause, a fair cause. We could see here some elements that have been pre- typical arrogance of empires, particularly sented and shall be presented in the next wound because it was inflicted with the the British empire, taking advantage of weeks and months before all the interna- the weakness of our country during the tional organizations to which we are going 19th century after a war that physically to resort in this struggle for peace and sov- ravaged the homeland and after the trea- ereignty. We are going to go to all the or- son and division of the , an ganizations: UN, CELAC, Unasur, we have American power that was born from the already visited some of them. sword of the Liberator Bolivar. Look, this was the map of Venezuela, The British Empire took advantage, dur- the United Provinces of Venezuela. This ing the entire 19th century and then in the is the map made by Agustín Codazzi [An 20th century with the Monroe Doctrine, to Italian military engineer, geographer and perform the grievous dispossession. cartographer /1793-1859], 1810, which evidences the territories of the Captaincy this story, knowing that the Foreign Policy General of Venezuela, created by man- I would like to share briefly with you Commission, the National Assembly, the date of the King of Spain on September 8, different instances, the media, Ministries 1777. This is the map, the Province of Ca- of Education and Culture, Communities, racas and at that time the border of Ven- we all have to make an effort in the univer- ezuela was always the River Essequibo, sities to disseminate this case. The history the Guayana, The Province of Guayana of the Essequibo, we could say, is the his- Esequiba. tory of the imperialist plundering diplo- Our Constitutions, customarily, estab- macy in the world. Therefore, generation lish that the territory of Venezuela is after generation, government after gov- composed of the territory that was part ernment, it has been a point of agreement. of the Captaincy General of Venezuela be- In the 19th century, during governments fore the political transformations of April of Liberals and Conservatives, in the 20th 19, 1810. century from [Juan Vicente] Gómez [1908- There is a great deal of documentation 35], Cipriano Castro [1899-1908], Isaías about this matter. Venezuela presented Medina Angarita [1941-45], Marcos Pérez said documentation in the meetings of Jiménez [1952-53/1953-58] and the suc- the Arbitration of Paris and they were not cessive governments of Acción Democráti- recognized simply because, as you may ca and Copei: Raúl Leoni [AD/ 1964-69], see now, Venezuela did not have a voice Rómulo Betancourt [AD/1959-64], Rafael or vote in the Arbitration Award of Paris Caldera [COPEI/1969-74], Carlos Andrés and the award was imposed, completely Pérez [AD/First time: 1974-79 Second vitiated by imperialist interest and abso- time 1989-93], lutely null and void. [COPEI/1979-84], [CO- Here is another map taken from histori- PEI/1994-99] thereafter, Jaime Lusinchi [AD/1989-93], with some point of tension Colombia, as established by Bolivar. cal files, the map of the Gran Colombia, 17 One sees this map and cannot avoid be- Colombia will come back. Bolivar will ing moved because when we were born come back. You will see it. We will see it, we were born as a power and the treason and we have to become the architects of of mean oligarchies led us to be depen- the dream of the liberators. dent and kneeled countries plundered by Here I have the other map, the map of empires during the entire 19th and 20th Agustin Codazzi, 1830. Again, here it is, centuries. For this reason, within the Colombia, united; Colombia, the power; framework of Latin America and the Ca- the Colombia of Bolivar; the Colombia of ribbean, Venezuela has to go back to be- dreams; Colombia, the union of republics; ing a respected power from the political, and Colombia, the nation of republics. moral, economic and all points of view. Then, 1830 was the fateful year when Su- In a world of powers the weak is never cre was murdered and Bolivar died. Then, respected, nobody respects the coward, the backstabbing that put an end to the those who kneel down. Everyone re- united Colombia of Bolivar. Here it is the spects the worthy, the one who is stand- full exercise of our sovereignty including ing, the one that is strong for its own na- the Essequibo without a doubt; right Pi- ture and spirit. ñate? Piñate is a history professor. This is a beautiful map! This is the Geo- There is also another map of Codazzi graphical Statistical and Historical Map of about Venezuela, 1840. It includes the Es- Colombia. This is a map from those worlds sequibo, 1777-1811, United Provinces of where people spoke English. Where did Venezuela, 1811, at least until this map of people speak English and maps were 1840, all this material has been part of a made? In London. Look how they drew series of historic evidence that Venezuela Colombia. Colombia was the old United has presented and continue to do so be- Provinces of Venezuela, of New Granada fore international bodies that have duly and Quito, and we always got to the Es- chosen to hear this case. sequibo. There is no doubt about that in Now, it’s the British Empire attempting the establishment of Venezuela and Co- a takeover, occupation and maneuver over lombia and then when Venezuela was this traditionally and undoubtedly Ven- founded again in 1830. The United Prov- inces of Venezuela, both in colonial times known action to occupy this space and ezuelan territory. 1835 marked the first and after independence always exercised for what reason? The answer: a simple full and unquestioned sovereignty over geopolitical reaction. Colombia had been the territory of the Essequibo. separated, all our Nations were inter- Look at this beauty, a huge geopolitical nally fractured and Venezuela was deeply territory, an Atlantic, Caribbean, Ama- weakened both economically and socially. José Antonio Páez’s dictatorship had taken South-American and Andean country. over our country and ruled with a political zonian, Pacific, and Central-American, Those times will come back. They will vision that could be paralleled to today’s come back, as a song in Spanish says. extreme, savage neoliberalism. During Those times will come back. That is the this time, our country’s Liberator Army only thing that will come back! The Gran was dissolved and the brave soldiers who 18 President Maduro showed some maps like the one of la Gran Colombia (1822), where the Essequibo is part of our territory

returned from Junín and Ayacucho were There are plenty of documents detail- deprived of the lands given to them by our ing how, since very early on, the Imperial Liberator, Simón Bolívar, by amoral armies diplomacy and power center that Lon- who served warlords and landlords. don was in that time’s world saw the best The British Empire saw the weakness strategic objectives to conquer in South and division in what had not too long be- America. One of those objectives was to fore been a powerful nation and set its take over the and all its mouths eyes on several objectives. One of those so that they could then conquer all the objectives was the Falkland Islands, lands north of the river, up to the Meta which were defended by our Argentin- region in Colombia. I hope that, through ian brothers in a historic battle; I am sure this national debate, we are able to prop- that this territory will be regained by the erly teach, inform and educate our people Argentinian people sooner than later via on this historical sequence of events. dialogue and international law. Another In historic documents, the planners that objective the British set their minds to I will tell you about spoke clearly about thanks to the gold rush (or, more appli- reaching Bogota and conquering all of cable today, the “oil rush”): the Orinoco those lands and their respective riches. and the vast riches present in the entire Guayana Esequiba area. useful. We tried to write materials that Here I have a chronology that I find very 19 - all senses, a divided and weakened country. der to elicit a debate that will allow us to 1850. On this year, the would simplify this first exposition in or crystallize our historic claim and success- of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and fully reach peace. Venezuela signed an agreement whereby they commit to not occupy the controver- 1824. This is the line of the Gran Colom- bia’s territory as recognized by the Brit- occupational step by the British: the sign- sial territory. I think is the first historical ish. Before this date, this territory was ing of an agreement where we Venezu- known as the United Provinces of Vene- elans were not allowed to enter our home. zuela and then the Republic of Venezuela. This is a proof of the weakness of a coun- try which was no longer really a country, 1834. The British Empire hired a natu- as we had lost the original dream of the ralist geographer, Robert Schomburgk, a Liberator and our original moral compass. Prussian, German, merchant, naturalist explorer to come and study our region. 1887. The British Empire publishes a new Another important move during the plun- Schomburgk line, the blue one in our ex- der of our territory by the British. It was ample, where they claimed 167.830 square km of Venezuelan land as their own. and report on the Orinoco region for the Just so you can understand the real Schomburgk who crafted the first map Royal Geographical Society and the Colo- scope of what the British Empire was try- ing to take away from us, their claim ex- in all seriousness amounted to a British tended to territories which have histori- nial Office of London, which actually and Ministry of Colonies. It would take far too cally been occupied by the Venezuelan long to read this document here. This is people, such as what has comprised the towns of Guasipati, Upata, El Callao, Tu- step the British Empire made to take the meremo, all located in the current Bolívar the Schomburgk line, which was the first Essequibo’s western river shore. State, and up until the shores of the Guri; that was the extension of land the British 1840. A second map was drawn. While intended to take away from us in order to gain strategic control of the Orinoco re- square km of Venezuelan territory as gion and Guayana’s riches, those of our the first map attempted to claim 4.920 British, this second map swallows an Guayana Esequiba. astounding 141.930 square km. This little purple line you see here is the sec- 1897. With the declaration of the Unit- ed States via the Monroe Doctrine, the Schomburgk line of 1835 and the purple American government submitted to and ond line; this brown line here is the first line is the 1840 Schomburgk line. approved in the US Congress a declara- tion warning Her Majesty and the London 1841. Venezuelan Minister Alejo Fortique Government that the United States would - not allow any kind of illegal territory oc- ment, but he was part of a weak, landlord- cupation in the Venezuelan Guayana. That filed a complaint to the British Govern led oligarchic government in what was, in was enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine, 20 “America for the Americans”, not a favor canon was, at the time, the world’s most they were doing us from the kindness of powerful, if the effect it had in England their hearts. was any indication. We have a very important material here for you. We were actually correcting it up 1896. The US Congress appoints a six- until an hour ago, because we really want member committee to determine the ac- to divulge the truth about Venezuela’s tual borders between British Guyana and history. We did this because only with Venezuela. Again, “America for the Amer- icans”. The South American powers that we reach our historic goals and preserve had risen were divided and our Peoples the truth, which we defend fiercely, may the peace in our country; that is the most betrayed, which resulted in the greatest beautiful and precious commodity which state of weakness and powerlessness we must preserve and guard: the truth. that any Government or people had ever So, let no one be foolish to think they suffered in these lands. The 19th centu- can try and manipulate our Caribbean ry was terrible for us all, as we ended it brothers, and even less so the Venezuelan people. Read the title we gave this book: A Congress from the United States chose weak, undignified and with no identity. “The Truth about the Essequibo”. With a commission to set our borders for us; the truth everything is possible and ev- the rise of the United States’ empire had erything is achieved. With the truth, we clearly begun. have always pushed through. Years later they would set their eyes in This book has some really great virtues, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and one of which is that it comprises a com- Guam, marking the beginning of their ex- plete chronology, year by year, of what ac- pansion all throughout the world, start- tions have been taken relating to the dis- ing in the late 19th century and early 20th possession our homeland was subject to. century. That commission –according to this book- included some very impor- 1895. The American Government, with tant people: Supreme Court Judge Da- a previous debate on the subject in their vid Brewer; the President of the Court Congress, sent a note signed by State Sec- of Appeals Richard Alvey; a member of retary Richard Olney on July, 20th, on be- the New York Forum, Frederick Coudert; half of President , who the President of John Hopkins University, had invoked the Monroe Doctrine in his Daniel Gillman; and the President of Cor- annual address to Congress. The aim of nell University, Andrew White. the note: to urge the United Kingdom to The appointed Secretary of this commis- be subject to an arbitration process re- sion was the Hispanist and expert in Lat- garding its attempted usurpation of the in American law Severo Mallet-Prevost. Guayana territory. Memorize his name, because this man was This material states, quite splendidly a key player in the uncovering of the Par- I think: “Secretary Olney’s note in rep- is Award fraud years later. On November resentation of President Cleveland was 12th, 1896, the United States of America seen as a 20-inch-long canon…” Such a and England signed the foundations of the 21 Political and physical map of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela dedicated by its author, Colonel Agustin Codazzi Engineers, to the Constituent Congress of 1830. Published in Caracas, 1840

Arbitration Treaty to decide on the matter lastly, a Russian man, notorious member of Guyana. Venezuela was nowhere to be of a court of sycophants and adulators seen during this negotiation. of the Queen of England. The latter was Under pressure by the US Government, then a markedly and widely known pro- the established conditions were accepted (although “imposed” would be a better members of the commission, and all of British Russian. These were the five term, in my opinion) and no Venezu- them were extremely objective, I am sure. elan was or ever came to be part of the Venezuela was handed a treaty which Arbitration Court that was supposed to was preconceived and drafted by London discuss vital issues regarding our Home- and Washington. land’s territory and life. 1897. On February 2nd of this year the So, there were two Englishmen, Washington Arbitration Treaty was appointed by the United Kingdom, two US signed, under pressure of both the United citizens, appointed by the US Government States and Great Britain. Venezuela was as Venezuela’s sole representation, and left no choice but to accept the disadvan- 22 tageous conditions set therein. On this area and 500 square miles of its mouth as same year, the Venezuelan Congress rati- Venezuelan. The decision, they claimed, was reached of the arbitration in question. in order to avoid war; this was the sole fied the Award that served as foundation Each jurist presented allegations with explanation on why the judges ruled the corresponding documents and exhib- without any consideration of legal or his- its; Venezuela presented three volumes, toric aspects. as well as an atlas containing enough proof of our sovereign possession over 1900. During Cipriano Castro’s presi- the Venezuelan Guayana. Great Britain dency, Venezuela made a formal claim presented 7 additional volumes and an regarding the Paris Award and started atlas of their own. From then on, there a long, intense, hard uphill battle of our were 54 work sessions and appeals of country against the British Empire in or- four hours each. der to reclaim what our liberators left in the Venezuelan People’s hand: Guayana 1899. Between July and October of this Esequiba. year the Arbitration Court met in Paris. As the 20th century passed, all of our Great Britain was represented by four Constitutions, even those imposed by dic- English counsellors and Venezuela by tators such as Juan Vicente Gómez, clearly four US counsellors. Thirteen days of de- kept the concept set in the original 1811 liberation followed and, on October 3rd, Constitution and recognized our terri- 1899, a dreadful date for our Nation, the tory as the one left and inherited to us Arbitration Court made a unanimous rul- after our liberators gained our indepen- ing which came to be known as the Paris dence: the one that comprised the Cap- Arbitration Award to settle the dispute taincy General of Venezuela. I have sev- over territorial borders between the eral materials covering and showing the then-called United conceptual elements, but always keeping and British Guyana, colonial possession of the British Empire. 5th, 1811. the fundamental definition issued on July It was a tremendously brief decision by Mallet-Prevost’s recount, and to who 1944. Halfway through the 20th century, said ruling bore no solid legal motivation the once member of the infamous Arbi- nor arguments and was limited solely to tration Court, Severo Mallet-Prevost, at describe the borderline agreed upon by the end of his days, wrote what came to this inane Court which began in Punta de be known as a confession proving what Playa, about 43 miles east of Punta Bari- was by then an open secret: the illegal, ma and Bururuma and continued south improper and imperialistic way Venezu- along the Amacuro river. ela was plundered and dispossessed of This ruling effectively gave Great Brit- a territory of great importance for our ain 90% of the disputed territory (a plun- Nation, which we conquered spilling der, if you ask me) claimed by our coun- the blood of all the Negro Primeros and try. The ruling accepted the Orinoco river humble men of this great nation in the 23 However, this territory was controlled by London, Washington, Upata and Caracas. governments and economic groups. They battlefield, was widely known in Paris, No one handed us the conquered territo- used armies and Armed Forces as occupa- ries of the United Provinces of Venezuela tion and domination forces. When the so- and Gran Colombia on a silver platter: called political politicians were ineffective, they would deploy “politicians” with stars, with great effort, passion and love for our - our liberators conquered them fighting Homeland. bayonets, jails and torture, defiling the no This material issued by those who were such as Venezuela’s: here, a military career bility of a proper, dignified military career then young boys must have weighed in is about defending our Homeland, our ter- Severo Mallet-Prevost’s conscience, who ritorial integrity, our People, our Constitu- left it to be published “after my death”; tion, and to defend peace and freedom. I and so it was. say this proudly as Commander in Chief: Isaías Medina Angarita’s government I am extremely proud of the Venezuelan acknowledged the historian’s recount. Armed Forces, the Army, the Navy, the Air According to Mallet-Prevost, who was be- Force, the National Guard, and its militia- hind curtains and knew all the secrets of the men and militiawomen. From my heart I negotiation and imperialistic reparation: thank God and our Commander Chávez as well, for the work he left us, in doctrine, in “Even though in the ruling the Court strategic concept, in discipline, in organi- gave Venezuela the most important zation and in arms of our Armed Forces. sector of the controversial area from a strategic standpoint, as the Orinoco The 50’s Decade. Marcos Pérez Jimé- river’s mouth clearly is, it was greatly nez’s government tried, at a time when unfair to Venezuela and robbed that relations with the US government were at nation of a vast and very important their most amicable, to push the subject territory over which, in my opinion, during the Tenth Inter-American Confer- Great Britain did not have the slight- ence of Caracas. As you must remember, est shadow of a rightful claim”. the Tenth Conference of 1954 had a cen- tral topic: the ousting of Jacobo Árbenz’s And so, it was history. On December 10, government. Sadly, the Guayana subject 1948, Severo Mallet-Prevost passed away.

was postponed or insufficiently discussed. 1949. The American Journal of Interna- The 60’s Decade. At the beginning of the tional Law published an article on the 60’s a peculiar situation arose; it is well Arbitration Award fraud and sparked a worth studying and combined several great debate in Venezuela. factors: The US Empire had already established it- self as the ruling and hegemonic empire in -The first factor. The British Empire’s Latin America and the Caribbean and was interest to establish a different kind of almost the ruling empire in the world, at relationship with its old colonies after the time at odds with the old Soviet Union. their massive defeat in India, peacefully 24 and famously spearheaded by Mahatma admitted it; I’m not trying to offend any of Gandhi. Just like yesterday’s referendum the present company, believe me. These in Greece, these are blows to the imperial would be the governments of Rómulo Be- forces that go down in history and create tancourt and Raúl Leoni. Rómulo said it ripples, leading to other important his- after founding the Costa Rican Commu- toric events. nist Party, during his stay in the US for the Some people believe that the Indian New York Pact: “Venezuela cannot be gov- blow did not have a great impact. How- erned without the support of Fedecáma- ever, that event lead the old British Em- ras (the Venezuelan Federation of Cham- pire, defeated in the 18th century in the bers of Commerce), of the High Clergy of the Church and of the US Embassy”. He global Empire to have territorial claims worded it differently, but that was the gist. United States by the 13 colonies, the first in Asia, America and Africa, to rethink its These bonds were used by both Betan- international relations. It is worth noting court’s and Leoni’s governments to start that the 18th century’s British Empire did bringing back on the table the subject of not possess the power and global reach the Venezuelan Guayana Esequiba. as today’s American Empire; the British of old did not have the weaponry, the sat- -The third factor. The historic uprising of Amerindian movements in Essequibo dominion over the world the Americans who clamored and did everything they ellites, the financial prowess, and general - could so that the area could be governed tant element: the British’s interest in by Venezuela. Sadly, they were ignored have today. This is, then, the first impor building new kinds of relations and re- and cast aside due to American and Brit- place the old possession of the metropo- ish imperial pressure for decades. How- lis, London, over the old colonies. In addi- ever, they were very organized during the tion, in most of those countries there was 60’s, and they sought to speak directly an important presence of progressive po- with the Venezuelan political power. litical movements closely linked with the I forgot to bring the book Elías Jaua sent thinking of the British Labour Party, the to me with a note: “Here’s this book, please historical, progressive, left-leaning par- return it”. It’s the autobiography of Miguel ty comprising the British and Irish blue Ángel Burelli Rivas. I was not aware of it, collar class. These progressive political but he was the temporary Minister of For- movements in the old colonies were aim- eign Affairs for Rómulo Betancourt when Ignacio Arcaya made a stand to defend the their autonomy and independence after non-expulsion of Cuba before the OAS. It is ing to find their own spaces to procure the decolonization process that started a long, very interesting biography; I actu- after the end of World War II. ally read all of it in a single night and until the morning due to how interesting it was. -The second factor. The 60’s was the de- It recounts details of things only he lived cade of the Venezuelan governments during the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. He was part with the strongest bonds with the United of Rómulo Betancourt’s government for a States. It is no secret, as they themselves few months and he goes into detail about 25 some elements of it. Afterwards he had a ticipation and ended with the signing of strong presence abroad during Leoni’s gov- the . ernment and then ran as candidate in ’68 when Prieto won and his victory was not 1966. The Geneva Agreement was signed acknowledged. At least it’s what I think; on February 17th, 1966, by Venezuela, my father was a supporter of Prieto. Prieto Great Britain and the colonial government won: they did not acknowledge the prima- of British Guyana. The Agreement sets ry election he won against Gonzalo Barrios, the mechanisms to start a process to deal Betancourt did not accept it and he never with the historic dispute over the Essequ- accepted it at all. But well, that is history. ibo between the Independent Republic of So, delving into all of these historic Venezuela and the Republic that resulted books, I can say these three situations from the independence of British Guyana, (among others) came together and had which had its own temporary government. results worth evaluating; some people It was a signed agreement. say one thing, others say another. There is a historic debate on this sub- ject. Burelli Rivas says we should have 1962. Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Af- pushed for the non-acknowledgement of fairs Marcos Briceño denounces Guyana’s independence and new Repub- the nullity of the Paris Arbitration Award lic; others thought, conversely, that the of 1899 in a masterfully crafted and writ- Agreement was the most positive out- ten historical report. With this denuncia- come as, after 67 years of the offensive, tion by Minister Falcón Briceño during abusive and imperialistic Paris Award, the Betancourt administration, the sub- this is an understanding settled in diplo- matic terms based on international law back in the forefront. ject of Guayana Esequiba was finally put legal agreement via diplomacy. which aims to find a fair, satisfactory and 1963. A meeting was held from Novem- We must put ourselves in the position ber 5th to November 7th among the gov- of those who negotiated, talked and ac- ernments of Great Britain, Venezuela and tively sought this out. We will probably the then-current colonial government of have time in the future or during this British Guyana to revise the subject from debate to establish whether or not the our point of view. This meeting used our Agreement could have achieved more, concepts and ideas stemming from the but what stands true is that since it was dispossession of our Guayana Esequiba, signed –on February 17th, 1966, and its and the discussions were held in a diplo- matic-journalistic environment. of April 15th, 1966-, this was an interna- later publication in the Official Gazette This marked the beginning of a path of tional agreement which was legally bind- reunions and searching. The interest of ing for Venezuela and Guyana and which the British Empire was to concede and set the terms and proper mechanisms to pact on the independence of Guyana and deal with the historic dispossession of effectively put an end to the negotiations. the British Empire against our Venezu- This took place with Venezuela’s full par- elan Homeland. 26 Maduro warned that the attack was not against him, but against the Venezuelan people, against its national sovereignty

Many other elements will surely arise President of Congress, Luis Beltrán during this debate, but here we have an Prieto Figueroa.” example of a key element: This agreement marks, as they say in “Signed in Geneva on February 17th, English, “a new beginning” between a 1966; on behalf of the country being born from inde- government signed the Minister of pendence as a Republic, later the Coop- Foreign Affairs, Ignacio Iribarren erative Republic of Guyana, and a historic Borges; on behalf of the government country, leader in the independence of of the United Kingdom of Great Brit- Latin America, our Bolivarian Republic ain and Northern Ireland, the Secre- of Venezuela, our Homeland. This Agree- tary of State of Foreign Affairs, Mitchel ment established a number of elements Stewart, and the Prime Minister of the then British Guyana, Forbes Burham in Article 5, paragraph 2, which reads, af- and mechanisms; firstly, it sets a concept (who later became the leader of the ter the 67 year-long debate, as follows: Cooperative Republic of Guyana) […] given, signed and sealed at the Federal “No acts or activities taking place Legislative Palace in Caracas, on April while this Agreement is in force 13th, 1966, 156th year of the Indepen- shall constitute a basis for asserting, dence and 108th of the Federation. supporting or denying a claim 27 to territorial sovereignty in the age and end all provocations while also territories of Venezuela or British standing for Venezuela’s rights. No one Guyana or create any rights of will mock Venezuelan rights, we cannot sovereignty in those territories…” allow that. That is why Guyana’s Government has That is how it refers to the territory: it violated international law and has gone so was still British Guyana. far as to renounce the Geneva Agreement, This is extremely important in light of a grave matter. Up until now we could International Law and of the diplomatic have differences with the different gov- effort that we will reinforce in all appli- ernments in Guyana, but there was always cable instances: respect for the Geneva Agreement as basis for the peaceful, civilized and diplomatic “…or create any rights of sovereignty dealing of this delicate historic dispute in those territories, except in so far as to which Venezuela will not relent. Let no such acts or activities result from any one think that Venezuela will ever give up agreement reached by the Joint Com- its fair right to regain the Essequibo; I say mission and accepted in writing by the this to both our friends and allies as to our Government of Guyana and the Gov- enemies: no one shall ever aspire to suc- ernment of Venezuela. No new claim ceed in making Venezuela give up its his- or expansion of an existing claim on toric rights to the Essequibo. territorial sovereignty over the ter- Now, we must always carry ourselves ritory in question will be validated with balance and temperance; the most while this agreement is in force and just of ideas must be correctly and justly no claim shall be valid unless made in defended, responding even-headedly to the Joint Commission as long as such any provocation. At times, someone will Commission were in place.” try to provoke you and you will think, “What can I do?” Imagine for a second Here we have the mechanisms. This is that you cannot not respond; that is the why Venezuela has not accepted and will example Commander Chávez always never accept Exxon Mobil or any other used. He would say: “Nicolás, imagine transnational coming to try and settle in you are in a given circumstance and then the controversial marine and submarine this happens… What would you do?” In territory; we cannot allow it and I will the environment of States, Governments never allow it. and Countries there are mechanisms to answer to that question. Humanity cre- In defense of our Homeland ated International Law, an international and our people relations system, such as the United Na- Forgive me for taking so long, but I am tions; we built a network of international making a very important summary of two agreements and that is why our country centuries’ worth of history because this boasts a great experience in international subject is paramount. We have an enor- diplomacy and peace diplomacy. It is not mous responsibility to peacefully man- mere chance that the Essequibo subject 28 had passed down from generation to It is not easy; I received a call from generation; surely some generations did General Vladimir Padrino López as well better work than others, but all of them worked for what is ours. Our generation borders and they tell me they have wit- as from other officers who guard our has to be the best one regarding the de- nessed provocations for months. As Com- fense of our historic rights and this is not mander in Chief, I have given him very jingoism, or false nationalism, or chau- precise instructions on how to proceed; vinism, no; it is Bolivarianism. We love these are delicate subjects, as these are the Caribbean Peoples; can anyone ever provocations that could escalate into far doubt that, if we have even bled for them graver events and then, the world media in the past? Let it be known that we are will begin saying (and you know how this not “giving away” oil to anyone, do not goes): “Nicolás Maduro is Saddam Hus- offend our Caribbean brothers; we sell sein”. Actually, they are already saying it: them oil in a mutually supportive, soli- in Georgetown they have published pic- dary, integrational, Latin American and tures of me with Hussein’s cap because I Caribbean way. Love, what we have is a have a very similar moustache to his; they relationship of love, of brotherhood, of are saying that and who knows what oth- the best bolivarianism and chavism. er silliness, setting the stage with “false Now, this Government of Guyana, not positives”, as someone here said earlier. They want to make up false positives, has taken the old British Empire’s wishes and that is why we must work so that the People, as I firmly feel and believe, against Venezuela as their own. It is not wisdom, diplomacy and truth prevail in Venezuela who has an aggressive or im- the defense of our stability and our peace. perialistic mindset, never; it is just this We have made countless efforts. But sector, these brothers of ours from Guy- Guyana’s government has forced us and ana who have been kidnapped by Exxon forced me as President to take a stance Mobil, and so I say from Caracas, land of and call upon our ambassador to make an freedom and solidarity. It is this govern- integral and exhaustive revision of all of ment led by Mister Granger who has been our government’s relations with Guyana. kidnapped by Exxon Mobil and is seek- Additionally, I will call directly and per- sonally to the UN Secretary General, our harm Caribbean and Latin America unity dear friend Ban Ki-moon, to quickly set a ing to create conflict with Venezuela to and generate a dispute at our borders, meeting between the parties within the reigniting old feuds, and abusing and re- framework of the Geneva Agreement, so nouncing the Geneva Agreement in the as to advance in the appointment of the worst of imperialistic fashions. We could say, remembering the words of renowned I am making an effort, dear congress- next Good Officer. political leader Lina Ron (1959-2011): men and congresswomen; again, forgive “Within the margin of the Geneva Agree- the length of my speech, but I am mak- ment, we will accept everything; outside ing an effort here as, effectively, between of the Geneva Agreement, we will accept 1966 and 2015 there have been several important events. 29 nothing.” That is our official, legal stance. 1970. As a consequence of the Ameri- Venezuela’s claim and to serve as a liai- can Empire’s historic pressure against son between both governments. President Rafael Caldera to repudiate his presidency, minister of Foreign Affairs 1987. Guyana and Venezuela, after Arístides Calvani signed what was called mutual agreement, decided to take the and applied at the moment as the Port of Spain Protocol, in two years later, beginning in 1898. Since Good Offices method; this was activated on June 18th, 1970, 4 years after the Ge- - neva Agreement. This Protocol effectively cers, who have historically been magis- that date we have had three Good Offi froze and suspended the application of trates, law scholars or historians of very the Geneva Agreement for 12 years. was appointed in 1989 and sadly passed advanced age: the first, Alister McIntyre, 1981. A year before the expiry of the away in 1998; afterwards, another Of- Port of Spain Protocol, President Luis with the beginning of President Chávez’s ficer was appointed on 1999, coinciding to Guyana that he had no intention of government and via mutual agreement, Herrera Campíns officially announced renewing it and aimed to reactivate the as must be done. Several names are pro- mechanisms of the Geneva Agreement, posed via a consult with the Secretary - General, and after mutual agreement, ela then proposed direct negotiation with Oliver Jackman was appointed; he passed which is what finally happened. Venezu Guyana, but Guyana declined and made away on 2007. And then, lastly, I remem- three alternative proposals instead: ber from my times as minister of Foreign -Bring the subject before the United Affairs, we spent three years looking for Nations’ General Assembly -Bring it before the UN Security Council New York and then, on 2010, we man- a Good Officer. I remember I travelled to -Bring it before the International aged to appoint an honorable, historian Court of Justice and Jamaican man: Professor Norman Girvan; Professor Girvan sadly passed 1983. After Venezuela agreed to it, the away on April, 2014. case of the Essequibo was brought be- fore the Secretary General of the United 2015. I will personally contact the Sec- Nations in accordance with what was es- retary General of the United Nations, Ban tablished in Article 4, Paragraph 2 of the Ki-Moon, in order to trigger the appoint- Agreement, and in full compliance with Article 33 of the United Nations Charter, Geneva Agreement. ment of a UN “Good Officer”, based on the which sets the mechanisms for diplomatic According to this Agreement, the desig-

March 30th of the same year, the current which Guyana and the Government of the conflict resolution all over the world. On nation of a “Good Officer” is the mean by Secretary General, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, acknowl- took on the responsibility to search for a edging International Laws, can sit around practical solution of the controversy and a table and reach a satisfactory, legal, and charged Diego Cordobés with studying practical agreement by way the Venezue- 30 lan government can historically satisfy the Integral Maritime Defense of our coun- try; a decree that holds the mandates of our Constitution. This Constitution, if I justified claim for this dispossession. request the support of the National As- may say so, compiles the most complete I have also decided ̶ and in consequence sembly, Judicial Power, Moral Power and and polished doctrine, historically and constitutionally compiled as our national State commission to immediately request, Electoral Power ̶ to summon a high rank by ways of diplomatic action, to the pro believe and submit to the criteria of his- heritage. However, I believe ̶ I genuinely tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States it is the most complete Constitution of torians and constitutionalists, alike ̶ that (CELAC), president Rafael Correa, that the the country. I fully recall that it was the troika of the CELAC convenes a meeting of result of a wide debate. (CS) dialogue between the Government of the This interim administrative decree, has Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the been used in a brutal campaign of manip- Government of the Bolivarian Republic ulation in all of the countries. The media of Venezuela with the participation of the is lying. It is an interim administrative de- pro tempore president of the CELAC. cree that holds the stamp of the Constitu- Additionally, the actions of the Attor- tion; it cannot be otherwise. ney General, magistrates, Ombudsman, congressmen and congresswomen, Com- The Constitution states that: mission of Foreign Policy and experts of Title II Chapter I. Of the territory and our Armed Forces, ought to be put into other geographical spaces. Article 10: “The action under the leadership of the Execu- territory and other geographical spaces of tive Vice-President Jorge Arreaza and the the Republic are those which belonged to Foreign Minister, Delcy Rodriguez, to im- the Captaincy General of Venezuela be- mediately undertake an intense tour, with fore the political transformation began on high level State Representatives, to all of - the Caribbean, Latin American and South sulting from treaties and arbitral awards April 19, 1810, with the modifications re American countries, to explain the merits which are not null and void”. of the Venezuelan cause; thus dissipating the lies that have been spread. It is a key component included in the These are actions in the diplomatic constitutional doctrine. - Later, article 11 establishes: “The full port, my expectations is the unanimous sovereignty of the Republic is exercised on field, from which I expect the utmost sup support of the National Assembly. It is the continental and insular, lake and riv- not only my expectation, but also that of er spaces, territorial sea, inland, historic - and vital marine areas and fall within the cess of defense and surveillance of our straight baselines taken or adopted by the a whole country. Moreover ̶ in the pro territorial, marine and submarine spaces Republic; soil and subsoil thereof; the con- tinental, insular and maritime air space eminently administrative and technical and the resources therein, including ge- ̶ an administrative decree was emitted, in nature that established the Zones of netic resources, migratory species, their 31 These concepts are further developed.

the consent of the president, Diosdado Why did I bring up these articles ̶ with Cabello, whom had not been asked for

interim administrative decree, issued by permission ̶ to this speech? Because the the Ministry of Defense, is marked by the Constitution, in a country that holds the law sacred, especially international law, and has enshrined in this Constitution its historical aspirations and the right to exercise its sovereignty at every level. Furthermore, at the level of century XXI,

century, perfectly adapted to this era. because it is an article of the twenty first The campaign that ensued the decree has been brutal. Thus, I consulted the plenum of the Supreme Court of Justice, through the Council of State, as to the scope of the decree, internationally ma- nipulated, and requested a number of rec-

“The blood running through our veins is blood of liberators, men who gave ommendations that were delivered today their life for the freedom of other peoples!” in a form of a legal opinion issued by the derivatives and intangible components of Supreme Court of Justice, in the midst of natural causes there may be”. - cree was analyzed and a number of sug- the battle we have been fighting. The de The article is detailed, but precise. I would gestions were made in order to perfect say that more than detailed, this article it, both nationally and internationally, to from the 1999 Constitution is perfect. strengthen it, in other words to improve “The insular space of the Republic com- it in every possible way. prises the archipelago of Los Monjes, Archipelago Las Aves, archipelago Los justice establishes a constitutional and po- The first concept of our highest court of Roques, archipelago , La Tor- litical criterion of State, both doctrinarian tuga, La Blanquilla, Los Hermanos, is- and legal. As Chief of State, I was informed: lands of Margarita, Cubagua and Coche, “This decree, whose purpose is not archipelago Los Frailes, La Sola Island, the delimitation of borders, invokes the Archipelago Los Testigos, State obligation to adopt the necessary and Aves Island; and also the islands, is- measures in order to guarantee the in- lets, keys and banks located or to emerge dependence, sovereignty, security and within the territorial sea, which covers integrity of the geographical space, on the continental shelf or within the limits the basis of the strategic conception of of the exclusive economic zone”. national defense …” 32 National! When speaking of the national Having been consulted regarding this concept of defense in the vital spaces of a subject of such national and regional rel- country, according to the limits legally es- evance, and considering de gravity of the tablished pursuant to International Law, matter, it is pertinent that the objectives not imperial law, with all of the countries contained in the aforementioned decree with whom we have already established be included, once the recommended tech- territorial, marine and submarine bound- aries, and using the methods established a decree with scope, value and effect of nical verification has been carried out, as in International Law with whom negotia- law in the Organic Law of the Bolivarian tions are still pending. National Armed Forces or in another legal The campaign is brutal. With our daily text that could be a Decree-law under the Enabling Law in force, that develops the time to fully grasp how certain conditions principles contemplated in the preamble hustle and bustle there is no sufficient are being created in the world towards a and in Chapters I and II of the Bolivarian Constitution…” the reason why I have insisted so much The Supreme Court opens new chan- great conflict involving Venezuela. This is on having this work session, and I contin- nels. This shows how, an element that has ue to insist on the need to form a national been used negatively against our country, bond to defend the peace and sovereignty now opens new ways to ratify our sover- of our country. eignty and to perfect its defense by the Armed Forces and all the institutions. The decision further recommends : “In light of the above considerations, “In consequence, it is suggested that we reiterate the judicious character of the Council of State makes recommenda- the regulation proposed by the Execu- tions to the President of the Republic so tive Branch in this matter of momentous that the branches of power may jointly importance to the nation, which, given its verify the technical content and scope of sensitive nature, could be transformed in the aforementioned decree regarding the an instrument of legal rank in order to in- delimitation using coordinates of the Re- crease full compliance with and protection public’s geographical space. In regards to of the alluded constitutional postulates in the jurisdictions of the Zones of Integral the integral development of the Nation”. Maritime and Insular Defense (Zodimain Once the result of the consultation made for its acronym in Spanish) dependent to the Supreme Court of Justice was known, upon the Regions of Maritime and Insu- and the proper evaluations conducted, I lar Integral Defense (Redimain for its ac- have decided to take all of the content of ronym in Spanish) and in the context of the Decree 1787 before the State Council a periodical revision of our borders that and the Supreme Court of Justice. form part of the Political Territorial Unit In the meantime, using the constitu- of the Republic, describing the democrat- tional doctrinarian criteria and the just ic and social state under the rule of law claim of our country, I have decided to emit a new decree to completely replace Republic of Venezuela… Decree 1787; Decree 1859 secures all of and justice, that defines the Bolivarian 33 the legal and doctrinarian constitution- will travel to Bogota. Should the doubts al elements upon which our Bolivarian persist, I will travel to Bogota, or Cucuta; National Armed Forces established the or the president can come here. Zones of Integral Defense and set their Our relationship with Colombia is duties in all of the maritime spaces of our predicated on respect and compliance of country, legally and validly established. International Law. However, there is a re- I have instructed Admiral in Chief Car- lentless campaign in Bogota to try to turn men Melendez to publish the new Decree President Santos against me, against Ven- ezuela. Here I have, for instance, every- make the contents known to all. thing that is published daily against me, 1859, first thing tomorrow morning and It is a decree that in a poetical language against us, in Bogota … especially against could be considered beautiful because it Diosdado Cabello. My God!!! The weekly has resulted from this debate. Therefore, magazine Semana: what interests does it it has been shielded in order to protect it serve? I ask those well versed on subjects concerning Colombia: What interests do Exxon Mobil, and I say more, against the television outlets serve? against the oligarchic media financed by mendacious oligarchic media of Bogota. I speak to you from this place, President Santos, we must sustain the best relation- Oligarchy and Colombian media ship based on respect for international against Venezuela law, on respect between our countries, beyond the ideological differences we these oligarchies are over here in Ven- may have, on the role of the State and oth- The times of abuse and influence of ezuela, thanks to God, the Virgin Mary, er political issues, we need to persevere and the Bolivarian Revolution. The Pres- on the path of direct dialogue, to dissipate ident that stands here before you does any difference and favor cooperation. not depend on any oligarchy from Bogo- Oh, my God! Someday everything that ta, or any other place of the world, that we have done and continue to do for our might give me orders, intimidate me or beloved Colombia to achieve peace, will manipulate me. With or without skirts, be written; everything that has been do- as it was in the past. ne, everything that still remains and our I entertain good relations, in this case, disposition, my disposition to do every- - thing in my power to attain peace in Co- lationship with the Ministry of Foreign lombia. When I say everything I can, it is with President Santos, and a fluid re Affairs, despite our differences. Often times, the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Speaking from Venezuela, when we say not just a figure of speech. Affairs makes mistakes and falls prey to everything, it is beyond the limits of what the microphone diplomacy, upon which is imaginable today. What do we say in I immediately call Delcy Rodriguez, our one of the army battalions? “If it is pos- Foreign Minister and tell her to call her sible…it is done. If it is impossible …we peer to remind her of our agreement: no will do it”. This is what we say to Colom- microphone diplomacy. In case of serious bia, if peace is feasible, we will help you to doubts, the Minister of Foreign Affairs achieve it; if it is impossible, we will also 34 help… Hence, Minister Delcy Rodriguez, I would at least caution the media against say no to microphone diplomacy! the promotion of hatred against Colom- I ask the people in Venezuela, you who bia or against any Colombian politician. have friends in Bogota, or elsewhere in It is no secret that we have many differ- Colombia. Can you imagine that in the ences with president Uribe, but we do not press, television and radio stations of promote hatred against him, every once Venezuela there were constant attacks in a while we take him to task, which is against President Santos? That in Vene- technically necessary due to all of the evil - he does unto us, however, it is a political ed their efforts to smear Colombia, to say difference. zuela the most influential media dedicat things that I will not repeat here, because If I were to see former president Uribe, I love and respect Colombia very much? I would shake his hand, although I would What is being done in the Colombian later splash myself with holy water! I media against Venezuela is unheard of ev- spoke extensively with former president ery day, at every hour; not to mention the Uribe when I was the Minister of Foreign media at the Colombia-Venezuela border. Affairs and had to welcome him at the It is a constant promotion of hatred that airport. He also had long hours of conver- can only be compared to the outrageous sation, up to 7 hours, with Commander attacks of Donald Trump against us, Mex- Chavez, speaking about peace in Colom- icans and Latin-Americans, they are both bia. Ex-president Uribe wanted Com- similar. I believe that no one here agrees mander Chavez to travel to the mountains with Donald Trump, right? God forbid. in Colombia and convince commander Hail Mary! Marulanda to start peace talks and if he Donald Trump embodies the extreme of happens to accept, ex-president Uribe racism and scorn against us, Latin-Amer- would show up there. This arrangement icans, I believe he is repudiated unani- was proposed by ex-president Uribe and mously by one hundred percent of all of us Commander Chavez agreed and was will- here, and in Latin America and the Carib- ing to follow along. bean. What Donald Trump did is what is I have many secrets that I will not take being done, everyday, in Colombia by Se- to the grave with me, one day I am going mana, Caracol, RCN, and NTN24 against to write them all. I have proof of all this; me, against Venezuela, against the memo- now, tolerate a campaign against a fel- ry of Commander Chavez, against my col- low country or against political leaders league Diosdado Cabello, sowing the seeds is not acceptable! In Colombia, thousands of hatred…. But, who will reap them? of millions of pesos are used to conspire I will not request President Santos to against me, against Venezuela, to conspire intervene because he will certainly an- against us. And the opposition should not swer that he has no control over the me- fool itself into believing that what they are dia, and it is true, he has nothing to do doing to me spares them in any way, since with it. However, as President of Venezu- I am your president too and a citizen, as ela, I would not react in the same man- well; some of you are my acquaintances ner if something like that were to occur; I and could even be my friends. Don’t be- 35 lieve that what is being done against me in Bogota is not against you as well. Per- the enemies of our Homeland. These are bean? The answer is no. It only benefits haps the people acting against me respect situations that we need to confront with me more than they respect you, this is on- the truth, dispel with serenity, determi- ly a thought though; we are allowed our nation, diplomacy and clarity, through own moments of deep thoughts. How noble gestures in the diplomatic sphere. wonderful it would be if we could talk I have come forth to this Assembly to again, speak about things as we used to discuss these issues. Where else would do before, when I was a congressman! I go except before the sovereign repre- Currently there is a vicious campaign sentation of the popular will, before the underway. I have a very disturbing vid- National Assembly, plural and diverse? I eo and will play it to you; a few months have come to invoke the cause of peace back we demanded explanations from and sovereignty of our country, to call the foreign minister and the government upon your hearts to defend our right to of Colombia regarding an event that had peace, the right to sovereignty, to defend taken place in Colombia organized by for- our Constitution, to defend our interna- mer minister of defense, Pinzon, in which tional rights, to continue advancing in the Venezuela was mentioned and where politics of integration, of union in Lat- spokespersons of the US establishment, in-America and the Caribbean, of good neighborliness. These are the reasons I under secretaries of reactionary admin- have come forth! officials trained at the Pentagon, former istrations, or leaders of the Tea Party, I have come with an open heart, knowing Giuliani spoke about the plan hatched that in many cases, fellows of the opposi- whereby Colombian soldiers would come tion, we have serious political differences after Venezuela, once the peace agree- and we sort them out. We have an appoint- ment in Colombia is signed. ment on December 6th, let’s see who the people vote for, the people will vote and from the government of Colombia, be- decide, and to whatever they decide, I will We requested an official explanation cause I know that these are all intrigues say “Amen”. If you result victorious, very orchestrated in the United States. Ven- well, if we result victorious once again, ezuela and Colombia will never ever em- the patriotic and revolutionary force, very well: respect and acknowledgement. is written in the sacred books. It must be On January 15th, I will come forth again bark upon a binational armed conflict, it rejected; however, there are those who to render mi exam of the year 2015 and plot, fellow militaries, scheme, look at this I will probably see some of the same fac- Molotov cocktail, hatred campaign. Then, es that are here today and not others, of an Executive Order is misinterpreted, an people that will be carrying out new du- incident is created and then, a disaster! ties, the political diatribe, the electoral diatribe, the battle of ideas, the confron- events in case they occur? The Venezu- tation of positions, welcome. Who benefits from this type of policy or elan people? The Colombian people? The Sometimes, we overdo it, that is true, people of Latin-America and the Carib- but we are amongst Venezuelans, Carib- 36 of Defense, two US spokespersons, a key But these topics, for the love of God, I tell bean, passionate people that fight hard. you, for our people I tell you, these topics, - woman from the Pentagon and the NSA ̶ must be taken seriously and with patri- ple from the highest levels that provide National Security Agency ̶; these are peo otic sentiment. Let us not mire it in cheap counsel from the United States and might electoral politics, I beg of you! go back to positions of relevance at any Beyond our differences and the circum- given moment. Mr. Giuliani, was also pres- stances that we face here and there, the ent, they call them as advisors in a post - country continues its path, this country will not be stopped by anyone; it has its is Venezuela. So, Mrs. Foreign minister of conflict era and the only thing they target own dynamic and its own force. Colombia, these are topics that must be I want to play this clip that only lasts a - few minutes because it is serious; I could crophone diplomacy. We need to raise clarified in a direct fashion avoiding mi play the whole video where US spokes- awareness, sound the alarm and defend persons announce on Colombian soil our Homeland; and guarantee peace as that they are preparing a Colombian mili- the basic condition for development. against Venezuela, after signing the peace Enabling Law for peace tary force to engage in an armed conflict agreement. and sovereignty I am not naïve in politics, or in life affairs, Lastly, comrade Diosdado Cabello, presi- but I have said that in spite of this scheme, dent of the National Assembly, congress- our Bolivarian duty, and with your per- men, congresswomen, magistrates, mem- mission, our Chavista duty, is to work and bers of the Electoral branch, senior State aid Colombia under any circumstance to achieve peace and leave behind a war that of the Great Patriotic Pole; after the rec- officials, leaders of the opposition and has caused so much bloodshed during ommendation from the Supreme Court 60 years, since the assassination of Jorge of Justice and the analysis by the State Eliécer Gaitán. Peace, peace, peace for Co- Council, and faced with these multiple lombia is a great American cause! provocations and attempts to set the It is a great Bolivarian cause, I am sure stage to impede Venezuela’s progress, some of you do not agree, but what I am to hurdle progress of the Caribbean and saying is just and ought to be the position Latin-American union, to get their hands of the State, the position of the country; on our soil, I have decide to promulgate we can deal with the rest later and thwart an enabling law to create an institutional the plot making sure that the Colombian presidential commission of the Venezu- political class relates to Venezuela in a elan state whose responsibility will be rational fashion and with respect. Guar- to handle all our border affairs, on top of anteeing that no one touches Venezuela, the Essequibo dispute, pending with our ever; the Colombian people will also take neighboring countries of Latin-America care of that, if necessary. and the Caribbean. In the clip we see a public broadcast with This Enabling Law shall therefore es- tablish a single State Commission at the 37 the presence of officers from the Ministry There was a great empathy with the Venezuelan President in the National Assembly

Presidential level to take care of all bor- December 31st der issues, and it will have a technical defense of the sovereignty and peace of , and this is the first law in secretariat. It will be headed by the ex- our country that I am about to sign in the ecutive vice-president, comrade Jorge Ar- name of the people of Venezuela the En- reaza, and its members will include the abling Law for peace and sovereignty, to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of be effective immediately. Thus, we can pursuit a number of na- Republic, Attorney General, president of tional, popular, State and international Defense, Office of the Presidency of the the Supreme Court of Justice and a rep- actions to preserve peace in our country, resentative appointed by the National As- protect and defend our just and historic sembly, in order to ensure a representa- claim for the Esequibo, and protect the tion of all the branches of power. international negotiations in the frame- This commission will foster constructive work of international law. We must bilateral relations and engage in negotia- equally protect the Latin-American and tions that allow the solution of all the issues Caribbean union, since our region and in accordance with the international law. our country must continue paving the Hence, I will proceed immediately, with way of a new Latin-American and Carib- your permission, Mr. President of the bean power, a power of peace that will National Assembly, using the enabling heal old wounds of colonialism. Do not powers for the defense of our peace and allow today’s empires to harm us again sovereignty, approved by the Assembly in with intrigues, hatred and least of all, war. March after the threatening Executive Or- Peace, peace, peace will be our final des- der of President Obama against Venezu- tination, will be our life! And will also be ela. The Enabling Law was approved until our victory! 38