Guyana asks World Court to block Venezuela's Esequibo election plans

By Kemol King

GEORGETOWN (Reuters) - Guyana on Thursday asked the International Court of Justice to order Venezuela not to proceed with plans to hold elections in the disputed region of Esequibo, saying a vote would violate a prior court ruling, the Guyanese foreign ministry said.

Venezuela will hold provincial elections on May 25, including for state governors. The government of President Nicolas Maduro last year passed a law creating a new state in the disputed territory, despite the ongoing case at the ICJ over which country Esequibo belongs to and a 2023 court order that Venezuela avoid any action that would change the status quo in the territory.

Guyana said in a statement that the United Nations' top court should prohibit Venezuela from conducting elections in the 160,000-square-km (62,000-square-mile) area, which it said "flagrantly violates" the 2023 order.

Guyana said it also requested expedited hearings to prevent what could be "serious and irremediable prejudice" to its rights.

The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tensions rose last weekend in the dispute over Esequibo, which comprises more than two-thirds of Guyana, when Guyana said a Venezuela coast guard patrol entered its waters and approached an output vessel in an offshore oil block managed by ExxonMobil.

The Venezuelan government said the waters they entered are a maritime zone pending delimitation in accordance with international law.

A final ICJ decision on the dispute could take years.

(Reporting by Kemol King; Editing by Julia Symmes Cobb and Bill Berkrot)