2023-12-04 02:02:45
Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil – 05/29/2023
President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro
On Sunday (3), Venezuelans participated in a referendum on the province of Essequibo, a territory rich in hydrocarbons disputed by Guyana.
The referendum, with around 20.7 million participants from a population of almost 30 million, presented five questions and took place from 6 am to 8 pm local time (9 pm in Brasília), with results expected on Monday (4).
Nicolás Maduro encouraged support for the referendum, while Guyana saw the vote as a step towards annexing its territory. The dispute over Essequibo, which has existed for more than a century, represents 70% of Guyana’s territory and gained prominence with the discovery of oil in 2015.
Guyana bases its claim on an 1899 decree that established the borders when it was a British territory. Venezuela maintains its position based on a 1966 agreement with the United Kingdom, annulling the 1899 award.
The five referendum questions covered topics such as rejection of the current border, support for the 1966 Geneva Agreement, disagreement with the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, opposition to Guyana’s use of a maritime region, and agreement with the creation of the Guyana Essequiba state.
The dispute involving the oil-rich region has intensified, with Venezuela alleging that Guyana is exploring inappropriate blocks.
The political context in Venezuela, marked by expectations of economic improvements and international pressure for clean elections in 2024, highlights the national importance of the Essequibo issue.
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#Referendum #vote #closed