PM Gonsalves visiting Venezuela to host talks with President Maduro

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves left the state on Monday March 17, 2025 at 6:30pm, for Venezuela to hold talks with President Nicolas Maduro, as tensions rise between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region.

The Prime Minister will meet with President Maduro at midday today, Tuesday March 18th.  The Prime Minister is reminding both leaders of the Argyle Declaration, of which they signed unto in December 2023,  with himself acting as an interlocutor.

The Prime Minister spoke with President of Guyana Dr. Irfaan Ali on Monday, urging calm and restraint and for both parties to return to diplomacy.

Dr. Gonsalves also cautioned that an escalation into open conflict could devastate both nations economically and socially, and destabilized the entire Latin America and Caribbean region, potentially leaving us with a humanitarian and refugee crisis.

He advised both parties to resolve the matter so it does not lead to any open conflict. The Argyle Declaration was signed at the Argyle International Airport (AIA) on Thursday, December 14th, 2023, between President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana Irfaan Ali, and President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro.

The leaders had then reiterated their commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean remaining a Zone of Peace.

SOURCE: Agency for Public Information (API)