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The Territorial Dispute Between Venezuela and Guyana from the Perspective of the Indian Community

The Indian community in Guyana remains largely disengaged from the ongoing dispute between Georgetown and Caracas over the Essequibo region. This is evidenced by the results of a sociological study conducted by the Social Research Center (SRC) in early July of this year.
Despite a certain degree of political tension that has emerged in the region following Venezuela’s territorial claims over the oil-rich Essequibo area, the Guyanese Indian community has shown limited involvement in the dispute between the two countries. Currently, individuals identifying as of Indian descent make up 39.8% of the population of this Latin American country, or more than 320,000 people. However, their engagement in international affairs and the socio-political life of the country remains relatively low.

According to the study, only 14 out of 110 individuals approached agreed to be interviewed. Of those, 57.1% declined to comment on the current relationship between Georgetown and Caracas, and another 35.7% stated they were not concerned about the Essequibo issue. Only 7.1% of respondents expressed significant concern over the territorial claims made by the government of Nicolás Maduro.

"This situation is quite tangled and has grown a lot lately. Guyana has to be very firm so it doesn't get affected. It's not just a problem for the Indians, but for the entire country and all the communities living here. I hadn't thought about India's role, but yes, they should strongly support in every possible way," said one respondent.

Regarding India’s potential role in resolving the territorial dispute, members of the diaspora indicated that they would welcome diplomatic efforts by New Delhi.
"Culturally, we've been trying to validate and integrate ourselves for many years. It would be a shame if this situation damaged the peace of this region. India, and any other country, should support and mediate," another respondent noted.

As the study’s author points out, the primary interest of the Indian community lies in cultural issues, which leads to reluctance or lack of trust when it comes to discussing other topics. At the same time, some respondents emphasized the need to prioritize domestic political and economic challenges that are hindering Guyana’s development.

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