Ali, Rodríguez Offer Rival Paths on Settling Border Controversy

President Irfaan Ali and Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez used the United Nations General Assembly this week to advance sharply different approaches to settling the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, with Rodríguez calling for a return to bilateral negotiations and Ali insisting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) process should be respected.

Rodríguez made Venezuela’s position first, addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in New York. She reaffirmed Caracas’ claim to the Essequibo region and appealed to Guyana to return to negotiations under the 1966 Geneva Agreement.

“Here, I appeal to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to resolve the issue and to return to negotiations, as stipulated by the Geneva Agreement.”