Regional leaders have gathered in ST Vincent and the Grenadines to participate in the talks due to take place between Guyana and Venezuela concerning tensions raised over the disputed Essequibo region.
The leaders of Guyana and Venezuela landed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this morning as the talk aims to quell the long-standing territorial dispute that has escalated with Venezuelans voting in a referendum to claim two-thirds of their smaller neighbour.
The prime ministers of Barbados, Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago are also among those in attendance
Ali arrived first, with Maduro arriving shortly afterward. The Venezuelan president spoke to reporters briefly before the meeting.
“I am pleased that the community of Latin American and Caribbean states and Caricom have managed to take this step, and we will make the most of it so that our Latin America and the Caribbean remains a zone of peace,” Maduro said.
WATCH the arrival of Irfaan Ali and Nicolas Maduro to SVG: