evidence: For decades, Venezuela has been making unsubstantiated claims to Guyana’s territory, despite the dispute being settled by the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899. This award included setting a boundary on Ankoko Island, apportioning the island between Guyana and Venezuela which was affirmed in 1905. In 1966, five months after Guyana gained independence, Venezuelan armed forces crossed this boundary and began their illegal occupation of Ankoko Island, located at the confluence of the Cuyuni and Wenamu Rivers, on the border between Venezuela and Guyana. [...] Steps must be taken to counter Venezuela’s actions and threats. As a first step, Guyana should deploy a team of law enforcement and construction workers to establish a physical border with a demilitarized zone on Ankoko Island. This bold tactic may test Guyana’s relationships with its allies, but those allies must stand on the side of international law and long-established treaties.