The International Court of Justice (ICJ) today acceded to a request by Guyana for a provisional measure against Venezuela’s announced plan to conduct elections in Essequibo. In its provisional measure issued today, the ICJ said: “Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from conducting elections, or preparing to conduct elections, in the territory in dispute, which the Co-operative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.” The ICJ also reaffirmed earlier provisional measures contained in its order of December 1st 2023 when Caracas was about to conduct a referendum related to Essequibo. Venezuela’s declaration earlier this year of an intention to conduct elections in Essequibo on May 25th was seen as a gross escalation in its intimidation of Guyana even while the ICJ has a case before it over the border controversy between the two countries. Caracas has no ability to conduct elections in any part of Essequibo. Today’s decision by the ICJ was by a vote of 12 to 3.