00:00Political analyst Dr. Mukesh Bazdeo says
00:03Venezuelan interim president Delce Rodriguez
00:06appears to be continuing the position previously held
00:09by former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro
00:13regarding Venezuela's claim to the Essequibo region.
00:16He notes that the long-standing territorial dispute
00:20is currently before the International Court of Justice
00:23where Guyana is seeking a final and legal binding ruling.
00:27What is happening right now is that Ms. Rodriguez
00:30is just carrying through with a policy
00:34that has existed in Venezuela
00:36and is part of what they call the political psyche in Venezuela
00:40that the Essequibo region belongs to Venezuela
00:45and they were basically stolen by the British Empire
00:49when we take it into that context.
00:51So it carries into a sort of symbolism
00:54within the politics of Venezuela.
00:56Dr. Bazdeo tells the Morning Edition
00:58while the matter is now being adjudicated before the World Court
01:02the major concern remains
01:04what could happen after a ruling is delivered
01:07particularly given Venezuela's previous objections
01:10to the court's jurisdiction.
01:12The question that we can ask ourselves, Marlon,
01:15is whether or not a decision
01:16if it doesn't go in favor of Venezuela
01:20are they going to abide by that decision
01:23or are they going to challenge it and not recognize it
01:26and are we going to see a continuation
01:27of these kind of maverick approaches adopted by Venezuela
01:32as it intrudes into Guyana's territorial sovereignty.
01:35He further notes that this country has already publicly expressed support
01:40for Guyana in the dispute.
01:41However, he says, the broader geopolitical implications
01:45involving the United States, Trinidad and Tobago,
01:49Guyana and Venezuela remain uncertain
01:52noting that the role of the U.S. in resolving this
01:56remains critical.
01:59Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
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