Venezuela and Guyana agree to renounce violence in dispute over oil-rich Essequibo
Maduro and Ali greeted each other with a handshake at their meeting. The Venezuelan president had described the meeting as an opportunity to "directly address the territorial controversy" and announced that his country would defend its rights.
Ali, on the other hand, stressed that Guyana was not the "aggressor" and did not want a "war", but reserved the right to "work with our allies to guarantee the defense of our country". The border dispute must also be resolved before the International Court of Justice.
At the beginning of December, more than 10.4 million of the 20.7 million Venezuelans entitled to vote took part in a non-binding referendum and, according to government figures, voted by a large majority in favor of Venezuela's claim to the Essequibo territory in Guyana. Shortly afterwards, Maduro called for the territory to be declared a Venezuelan province by law and for licenses to be issued for oil production.
Venezuela has claimed Essequibo for itself for more than a century. Around 125,000 of the 800,000 inhabitants of the former British and Dutch colony of Guyana live there. Caracas' desires increased after the oil company ExxonMobil discovered an oil deposit in the area in 2015. In October, another significant oil discovery was made in the region, increasing Guyana's reserves to more than those of oil-rich Kuwait or the United Arab Emirates.
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- Despite the agreement to renounce violence in the Border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo territory, tensions continue to simmer, particularly due to Venezuela's insistence on its rights and claims.
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a neighboring country, has expressed its concern over the escalating dispute and called for peaceful resolution, urging both parties to avoid actions that could worsen the situation.
- In response to the referendum results in Venezuela favoring its claim to Essequibo, Guyana's President, Irfaan Ali, highlighted the need to engage in diplomacy and dialogue instead of resorting to violence, emphasizing Guyana's wish to maintain peace and stability in the region.
- Various international bodies, including the United Nations, have urged both Venezuela and Guyana to resolve the border dispute peacefully, emphasizing the importance of the renunciation of violence and adherence to international law.
- The oil-rich Essequibo region has been a subject of dispute between Venezuela and Guyana for over a century, with both countries making claims to the territory, particularly following recent significant oil discoveries by companies like ExxonMobil.
- In the face of increasing tensions and the potential escalation of the Venezuela-Guyana border dispute, many regional and international actors have called upon both Nicolás Maduro and Irfaan Ali to renounce violence and pursue diplomatic solutions, with the hope of preserving peace and stability in the region.
Source: www.stern.de
