Venezuela wants to annex two-thirds of neighboring Guyana

And now President Nicolás Maduro has decided to hold a referendum on the inclusion of the Essequibo region in Venezuela as a new state.

Photo: REUTERS

While the world’s attention remained focused on the conflicts around Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, and the masters of geopolitical forecasts looked cautiously towards Taiwan, the fire suddenly began to burn where no one expected: in the remote South American jungle. A long-standing dispute between continental neighbors Venezuela and the Corporate Republic of Guyana has erupted into new flame. This small country, which was once a British colony and has since remained the only state in Latin America where the official language is English, has quietly vegetated in poverty and instability for many decades, seemingly resigned to its sad fate. But several years ago, the American company ExxonMobil discovered oil reserves there. Yes, no less than 3.5 billion barrels! Guyana faces the prospect of being on par with the oil sheikhs of the Persian Gulf.

And that was when neighboring Venezuela called the border post insistently. The fact is that “black gold” was found in the Essequibo region, which, after Venezuela gained its independence in the 19th century, was cut off by the British. By decision of the International Arbitration back in 1899, the territory of Essequibo was handed over to the British Empire. Caracas fought against this verdict for more than a hundred years, but without success. And now President Nicolás Maduro has decided to hold a referendum on the inclusion of the Essequibo region in Venezuela as a new state. The vote takes place today, the results will be announced later, but there is no doubt that Venezuelans supported their leader’s idea.

But in Guyana, where the disputed region occupies two-thirds of the entire country, they categorically disagreed with the idea, considering it a clear manifestation of annexation. Meanwhile, units of the Venezuelan army, one of the most powerful in Latin America, began to converge on the border, against which the Guyanese would not resist even a couple of days. But the neighbors of Venezuela, Brazil and Colombia, did not like this at all. Brazilian army units also approached the border lines. There was no need to go to a fortune teller, as the United States would immediately become involved in the emerging regional mess. PMC fighters guarding the ExxonMobil facilities in Guyana were put on high alert, a group of advisors arrived in the country from the United States and rumors spread that the Americans were thinking of creating their next military base here to, so to speak , monitor the territory and threaten from it the hated Maduro, who dared to challenge Washington.

It is possible that the United States itself, or, as you know, at the head of some kind of international coalition, will become directly involved in a conflict with Venezuela if it declares the Essequibo land its own. This could provoke new military actions that will resonate strongly throughout Latin America and not only there.