Acting President Delcy Rodríguez Travels to The Hague to Personally Defend Essequibo Claim

Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez departed for the Netherlands on May 9, 2026, to personally lead Venezuela's delegation at the International Court of Justice's final session on May 11 in the Guyana-Venezuela Essequibo border dispute. Her decision to attend in person was seen as an exceptional diplomatic signal — heads of government rarely appear personally at ICJ proceedings — underscoring Venezuela's commitment to asserting its historical claim to the 160,000 km² Essequibo region regardless of court outcomes. Al Jazeera reported that Rodríguez's travel to The Hague represented a show of national unity on the Essequibo, an issue that unites all Venezuelan political factions from Chavismo to the democratic opposition. Rodríguez was expected to present Venezuela's second-round closing arguments and reiterate Venezuela's position that the ICJ lacks jurisdiction, urging that the 1966 Geneva Agreement requires political negotiation rather than judicial settlement. Analysts noted the trip also served a domestic political purpose, as Rodríguez faced pressure to demonstrate state legitimacy amid Venezuela's ongoing transition following Maduro's removal.