Venezuelan Socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro’s signed into law the results of a recent referendum that lays claim to the Essequibo region of Guyana.
The move led to fierce condemnation from the neighboring country’s government.
Associated Press reported:
“The text of the law was not immediately made public. Even so, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs vowed not to yield any land to Venezuela and called the move targeting Guyana’s western Essequibo region an ‘egregious violation of the most fundamental principles of international law’.”
In December, a referendum was held to claim sovereignty over the rich region representing two-thirds of Guyana.
Now, Maduro held a signing ceremony recalling the referendum as a ‘stellar and historic moment’.
“’The decision of December 3, has now become the Law of the Republic, to form part of the legal structure of the internal political and institutional movement of our country’, Maduro tweeted on Wednesday. ‘The decision made by the Venezuelans in the consultative referendum will be fulfilled in all its parts, and with this Law, we will continue the defense of Venezuela on international stages’.
Guyana’s government responded sharply hours later: ‘If Venezuela wants to contest title to the territory in question, the proper forum is the International Court of Justice’.”
Guyana and Venezuela have been disputing the region for decades.
Tensions worsened after oil deposits were found near Guyana’s coast in offshore areas.
Guyana took the case to the United Nations’ highest court, but a court ruling is not expected before next year.
“Meanwhile, Guyana is collaborating with the U.S., France and India to fortify its military in the event of any annexation attempts, President Irfaan Ali said recently. Guyana’s military also has stepped up recruitment exercises with advertisements on social media sites and visits to various regions around the country.
Satellite imagery has revealed that Venezuela’s military is amassing troops and expanding bases near the border it shares with Guyana.”
The presidents of Guyana and Venezuela failed to resolve the territorial dispute, having agreed only to not use threats or force against each other.
France24 reported:
“‘We have information proving that in the territory of Guyana Essequibo, temporarily administered by Guyana, secret military bases of the (US) Southern Command… a body of the CIA, have been installed’, Maduro said.
He said the bases are an ‘aggression’ against the people of southern and eastern Venezuela and were built ‘to prepare for an escalation against Venezuela’.”
The referendum approved the creation of a Venezuelan province in the disputed region, sparking fears of a military conflict.
“He also claimed that his counterpart, President Irfaan Ali, ‘does not govern Guyana’ and that ‘Guyana is governed by the Southern Command, the CIA and ExxonMobil’.”
(Article by Paul Serran republished from TheGatewayPundit)