Opposition Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir through the Speaker of the National Assembly is requesting the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd to provide answers to several questions in light of the impending visit of United States of America, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.
Walton-Desir asked for Todd to identify the key interests and non-negotiable policies as they relate to Venezuela and for the administration to guarantee the Guyanese people that their national interest will not be compromised.
For the Government to reaffirm the National Assembly that Guyana is committed to the non-intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela and that the government will not be a party, directly or indirectly to any aggression against Venezuela.
The Foreign Affairs Minister is asked to say what agreements were reached or expected to be reached and what support has the Government of Guyana committed to the United States of America leading up to the vision of US Secretary of State.
Finally, the Minister is asked to map the scenario analysis of the likely consequences of any action taken by Guyana for our case before the International Court of Justice in the Guyana/Venezuela territorial controversy.
The US Secretary of State is expected to be in Guyana for a two-day visit on September 17th and 18th. Already, an advance team is in Guyana ahead of the visit.
During Guyana’s election impasse Pompeo was very vocal with his threats to sanctions Government Officials under the former APNU/AFC administration who undermined democracy in Guyana.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Human Rights Association in a release last Saturday on Pompeo’s visit called on Government to make public, well in advance of the visit, what non-negotiable elements with respect to Venezuela.
The body said the United States decision to include Guyana among a list of countries calling for democratic change poses serious problems. Aligning Guyana with those seeking regime change not only threatens Guyana’s legal negotiations over the border, but it would also be politically absurd, since the current US candidate to replace the incumbent President of Venezuela is among the leaders of those supporting the illegal claim on Guyana’s territory.