Analysing the Guyana-Venezuela Border Crisis — Ivelaw Griffith

Dec 18 2023 • 34 mins

Why is Venezuela on the verbal offensive and threatening to carve off more than two-thirds of Guyana's land area? The answer is wrapped in a tale almost 200 years in the making. Dr. Ivelaw Griffith takes us on an insightful journey from the nascent years of the Bolivarian Republic and its then-colonial neighbor, right up to today's war of words and saber rattling.

Venezuela's initial claims to the Essequibo, the disputed territory, began as far back as 1841. During this period of nation-building, we see a fresh new republic eager to settle the lines between itself and British Guiana to the East. The British shared this sentiment and demarcated their claim with the help of Robert Schomburgk, a geographer who would give his name to the survey line which is still at the center of today's dispute.

The Venezuela of yesteryear was much more ideologically aligned with the United States. Its objection to the British claim was bolstered by the assumption that as a staunch ally, Washington would eagerly lend support and aid them in curtailing London's expansionism, a la the Monroe Doctrine. This was not the case and the USA was initially much more indifferent to the cause than expected. Eventually, Uncle Sam would use bigger-army diplomacy to bring both Britain and Venezuela to the table to settle the row.

What followed was a pivotal round of negotiations with elements of scandal. Neither party would leave happy and the accounts of under-the-table dealings paint a controversial image that serves as the backdrop for today's events. One negotiator went as far as to declare posthumously that Venezuela "got a raw deal", undermining the moral legitimacy of the resulting 1899 Harris Award.

Join us on this episode as we unravel the nuances of that deal, give context to the Venezuelan propaganda machine, and explore the implications of a potential cascade effect for South America and the Caribbean Community.

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