VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday raised tensions over Guyana’s oil-rich Essequibo region by declaring it to be a part of Venezuela.
He issued a map portraying the Essequibo as part of an enlarged Venezuela, named a purported military governor of the area, ordered Venezuelan companies to undertake and administer oil exploration, and promised a census of the local population who would all be issued Venezuelan ID cards.
The drastic moves came mere days after last Sunday’s referendum in which the Venezuelan Government claimed ten million voters (out of a 20 million electorate) almost completely supporting Venezuela’s claim to the Essequibo and rejection of the remit of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in this dispute.
Maduro’s move defied the ICJ’s ruling last Friday that Venezuela refrain from any action in its claim over Guyana’s Essequibo region and warned against any aggravation of the dispute. Read More
Douglas, S. (2023, December 7). Tensions rise over Essequibo - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Newsday.co.tt. https://newsday.co.tt/2023/12/07/tensions-rise-over-essequibo/
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