It sounds strange, but it’s just another development in the long territorial dispute with the English Guyana. Armed conflict may be getting closer and closer.
It has been since 1966 (since the existence of English Guiana) that Venezuela claims the region of Essequibo, recognized as part of the neighboring country.
It all started with oil (the border country with Venezuela can become the largest per capita oil producer in the world).
Rich in black gold, this region belonged to Venezuela in the period of Spanish colonialism. But when the English Guiana became independent, its borders were recognized by the entire international community – less Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro recently declared the existence of the Venezuelan state of “Guayana Esequiba”.
Now, in the default of the people of Essiquibo (about 15% of Guyana’s inhabitants), Venezuelans elected a new governor to the region, six deputies for the Venezuela National Assembly and seven for a regional legislative assembly. THE population of the region did not participate in the elections.
“We are supported by historical, legal and moral basis in relation to this territory,” said Venezuela Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, quoted by.
Guianense President Irfaan al called the regional election of “Scandalous, false, propagandist and opportunistic.”
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The armed struggle between the two countries seems increasingly imminent. Venezuela rejected a decision of 1899 of international referees that established the current borders when Guyana was still a British colony, but the Guyana stirred in 2018 with a request still under analysis to International Court of Justice to validate the decision.
The region with 125,000 inhabitants has US support to continue to belong to Guyana. “The United States rejects all attempts and its illegitimate regime To undermine the territorial integrity of Guyana, including this last fraudulent election in the EssAQUIBO region, ”wrote the US State Department this week.
Earlier this month, one from the Center for American International Strategy and Studies described that Venezuela had expanded its military presence on the Guyana border, in a climate of “Perpetual Pre-Warning State“.
CAROLINA BASTOS PEREIRA, ZAP //
