STATEMENT ON THE VENEZUELAN INTERCEPTION OF A RESEARCH VESSEL IN GUYANA’S EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE
BY THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE CONFERENCE
OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) 
THE MOST HONOURABLE ANDREW HOLNESS
PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) views with grave concern the reported interception by the Venezuelan navy on Saturday, 22 December 2018 of a seismic research vessel flagged by the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
 
Such acts violate the sovereign rights of Guyana under international law, its entitlement to a territorial sea, Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf, and pose a threat to Guyana’s economic development and national security.
 
The Caribbean Community reiterates its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, including its right to peacefully explore and exploit its onshore and offshore resources.