Guyana has put its defense forces on full alert and is seeking intervention from the UN Security Council.
Guyana is seeking assistance from the US military to protect the region.
More than half of eligible Venezuelan voters participated in a recent non-binding referendum, with 95% voting in favor of laying claim to the disputed territory.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered the state oil company to issue extraction licenses in the disputed Essequibo region, currently controlled by Guyana.
Tensions have escalated between Venezuela and Guyana over the disputed Essequibo region, an oil-rich territory currently under Guyana's administration. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has moved forward with plans to claim the region, ordering the state oil company to issue extraction licenses and proposing a bill to make it part of Venezuela. This move has been met with strong opposition from Guyana, which has put its defense forces on full alert and is seeking intervention from the UN Security Council.
The dispute over the Essequibo region, which makes up more than two-thirds of Guyana, is not new. It dates back to 1841, but the recent discovery of oil in the region's waters in 2015 has reignited the conflict. In a recent non-binding referendum, more than half of eligible Venezuelan voters participated, with 95% voting in favor of laying claim to the disputed territory.
In response to Venezuela's actions, Guyana has sought assistance from the US military to protect the region. The United Nations Security Council also plans to hold a closed-door meeting to discuss the issue. Meanwhile, neighboring Brazil is reinforcing its military presence on the border, indicating the potential for the dispute to have wider regional implications.
The situation remains fluid, with both countries asserting their claims over the region. The international community is closely watching the developments, given the potential for the dispute to escalate into a larger conflict.
More than 95% of Venezuelan voters approved a referendum claiming ownership over land—which makes up more than two-thirds of Guyana—on Sunday, with plans to create a new state in the region.
Venezuela has long sought to control Essequibo, and disputes stretch back to 1841.
More than half of eligible Venezuelan voters have taken part in a referendum that yielded overwhelming support for laying claim to an oil-rich border region administered by neighbouring Guyana, officials in Caracas have said.
The “yes” vote in Sunday’s non-binding referendum was 95 percent, according to officials.