Elizabeth Morgan | Venezuela risking the peace in the Western Hemisphere

Interstate armed conflict has been rare in the Western Hemisphere in the 20th and 21st centuries. Except for the situation involving migrants at the United States’ southern border with Mexico, there has hardly been any uncontrolled situations or skirmishes between states sharing a border in North America.

The last interstate use of force recorded in Central America was between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969. The border dispute between Belize and Guatemala is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for settlement.

In South America, Bolivia and Paraguay fought the Chaco War between 1932 and 1935; Peru and Ecuador had an armed conflict in 1941; and Ecuador and Peru in the 1990s. The latter was resolved through negotiations. The 1982 war in the South Atlantic was between Argentina and Britain over the Falklands/Malvinas islands.

Most of the interstate border/territorial conflicts in South America have been resolved through the years. It is felt that the enduring mantra in the region, ‘My neighbour should not be my enemy’, has contributed to the peaceful resolution of interstate disputes.

The major outstanding border conflict seems to be that between Guyana and Venezuela. More recent conflicts have involved maritime delimitation under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention. In fact, this is a matter which CARICOM needs to keep on its radar, as Venezuela could also be looking to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) into the Caribbean Sea.

In the Caribbean, the only countries with contiguous land borders are Haiti and the Dominican Republic sharing the island of Hispaniola.

IN THE OAS

The major security focus in the Western Hemisphere has been intrastate conflicts related to governance and democracy issues, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. This has led to the US intervening in conflicts in Central America and the Caribbean to protect its national interest, investments.

Regarding the US involvement in the hemisphere, refer to my Gleaner article on ‘Relations within the Western Hemisphere’ of September 30, 2020. In the Organization of the American States (OAS), an objective is to maintain peace and security within the hemisphere through the peaceful resolution of disputes. The focus has been on resolving intrastate conflicts.

In recent times, the concerns involving Venezuela have been intrastate, considering the legitimacy of the government of Nicolás Maduro since 2017. Venezuela withdrew from the OAS in 2017, which became effective in 2019.

Nevertheless, the OAS has issued statements on Venezuela’s aggressive stance towards Guyana in the border controversy. The OAS General Secretariat, in its statement of December 7, reaffirmed and endorsed the request for a meeting of the OAS Permanent Council as soon as possible. This meeting would aim to discuss possible measures to mitigate this crisis and explore solutions that respect international law and regional stability. The OAS supports the statements made by CARICOM.

CELAC AND THE ZONE OF PEACE

So, the Western Hemisphere has been relatively peaceful. As interstates conflicts go, it has been a zone of peace. In fact, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) was declared a zone of peace and free from nuclear weapons by the leaders of the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean countries (CELAC), which was created in December 2011 in Caracas, Venezuela, with the signing of the Declaration of Caracas.

Venezuela was a leader in the creation of CELAC, with the aim of deepening LAC integration. The current CELAC president pro tempore is Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines. St Vincent and the Grenadines is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) originally established in 2004 by Cuba and Venezuela. Other CARICOM members of ALBA are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, and St Lucia. Suriname was admitted as a guest country in 2012.

Prime Minister Gonsalves has invited the presidents of Venezuela and Guyana to a meeting in St Vincent and the Grenadines tomorrow, Thursday, December 14. This is an effort to retain the peace in the region which Venezuela seems intent on shattering. The meeting will be attended by the president of Brazil and representatives from CARICOM and the United Nations. The matter is before the Security Council.

MILITARY SPENDING

Of course, the US has the most powerful army in the hemisphere. Latin America is not one of the more significant spenders on the armed forces in the world. In 2022, South America spent US$46.1 billion and Central America and the Caribbean US$11.2 billion, compared to US$904 billion spent in North America. The largest military spenders in Latin America are Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Chile. In 2022, Venezuela reported spending nearly US$5 million, doubling what it spent in 2021.

On paper, the Venezuelan army of over 120,000 looks big and formidable against Guyana’s military of about 4,000. Goliath and David, indeed.

PEACE MATTERS

It is actually unthinkable that Venezuela, seen as a trusted ally, which has been promoting regional integration and development, lessening US influence, and promoting Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, is now taking on the role of an imperialist bully. It is threatening the territorial integrity of its smaller neighours, members of CARICOM. Clearly, for Venezuela, the mantra no longer seems to apply that ‘My neighbour should not be seen as my enemy’.

The meeting being brokered by Prime Minister Gonsalves is welcomed, and I do hope that he has success in lowering the temperature and persuading Venezuela to let good sense prevail.

I want to see more attention being paid to this border controversy, in the region, the hemisphere, and in the international community in spite of all other distractions. It has wider implications. It should be made quite clear to the Maduro regime that they will not be allowed to shatter the relative peace and stability in this hemisphere. Disputes must be resolved within the rule of law.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.