Guyanese must stand united against Venezuela’s fraudulent elections on May 25 – VP Jagdeo

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has called on every Guyanese to maintain “one voice” against Venezuela’s fraudulent attempt to hold elections for the Essequibo region on May 25.

“We as a nation need to stand together against this fraudulent regime and their fraudulent elections that they purport to be for the Essequibo region,” he said, urging citizens to desist from sharing false information on social media.

“Stop sharing fake news and propaganda,” Jagdeo urged.

“This fraudulent regime in Venezuela must see all of Guyana speaking with one voice on this matter,” he added during his weekly press conference on Thursday.

Venezuela has announced that on May 25, 2025, it will hold an election to elect leaders for Guyana’s Essequibo region.

Jagdeo explained that those preparations may be occurring in the Venezuela area.

Guyana and Venezuela are before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final settlement on the border controversy. On May 1, the ICJ ordered that pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela must refrain from conducting elections or preparing to conduct elections in the disputed territory which the Co-operative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.

Jagdeo reiterated on Thursday that any Venezuelan citizen in Guyana who attempts to vote in Venezuela’s fraudulent election will be deported while any Guyanese who attempts same, will face severe consequences.

“If you so love Venezuela, go and live there. You don’t need to live in our country,” he said, noting that uses the border controversy with Guyana to deflect from its own domestic issues.

Meanwhile, he noted that on Friday, the National Assembly will be debating a solidarity motion for Essequibo and he called on all to support the motion.

“People regardless of their religion or race have always maintained their support for our territorial integrity,” he noted.

Guyana continues to receive international support for its fight against Venezuela.

U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot  on Friday said the United States is prepared to support the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in its efforts to combat the growing threat posed by foreign gangs along the Cuyuni River, a key stretch of the border between Guyana and Venezuela.