- Political analyst Dr Winford James: Am “stunned” so much was accomplished
Regardless of personal opinions towards Comrade Ralph Gonsalves, Thursday, December 14th, will be recognised as a significant diplomatic occurrence in the history of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The presidents of Guyana, Ifraan Ali, and Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, convened to deliberate on matters consequential to a longstanding border controversy.
The UN and other parties have made relentless efforts for years to resolve this matter, although they have been unsuccessful. Let me clarify: although the problem is not yet resolved, St Vincent successfully facilitated conversations between the parties instead of blustering, which might only exacerbate an already tense situation.
Utilising his extensive political knowledge, Gonsalves, working together with CARICOM and CELAC, accomplished the unimaginable: Ali and Maduro reached an agreement to ensure the tranquilly of the Caribbean region remains as is.
Gonsalves, renowned for his sagacity and who has consistently advocated for patience, calmness, and maturity, emerged victorious when both leaders exchanged glances and cordially shook hands for the first time.
Engaging in diplomacy can be a tiring undertaking. However, in my view, the Gonsalves tact has effectively averted a significant escalation of tensions in this region. This outcome has prevented a situation that could have set back progress by many decades, triggered a mass migration of refugees, and led to unprecedented social disruptions in these islands.
The uncertainty of tomorrow makes it impossible to predict; nevertheless, if the St Vincent Talks have successfully delayed any deployment of armed forces in the future by five or ten years, it would be a great feat, than to face the prospect of warfare in the next five or ten days.
