During a communal assembly with members of the El Panal 2021 Commune on Wednesday, March 5, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez strongly denounced the oil exploration and exploitation activities that the government of Guyana and the US company company ExxonMobil in undelimited maritime zones near the Essequibo, a territory historically claimed by Venezuela. Maduro described these actions as “absolutely illegal” and warned that Venezuela will take “all necessary measures” to stop them.
“The small, defeated, failed nucleus of fascism, totally reduced to nothing, has come out to support the traitorous government of Guyana in its illegal task of using a territorial sea pending international delimitation for oil exploitation activities,” said Maduro.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez specifically criticized opposition leader María Corina Machado, whom the government accuses of supporting foreign interests in the Essequibo. “The Essequibo belongs to the Venezuelan people, and we will defend it with our lives,” Rodríguez declared.
Venezuela’s position on Guyana and ExxonMobil
Venezuela has consistently defended its historical and legal rights over the Essequibo, a resource-rich area spanning approximately 160,000 square kilometers. The government has accused Guyanese President Irfaan Ali of colluding with ExxonMobil and escalating regional tensions.
“President Ali’s statements are riddled with inaccuracies, falsehoods, and contradictions,” read a recent statement from Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry. Caracas has denounced Guyana’s granting of illegal oil concessions in disputed waters, stressing that such actions violate international law.
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The Geneva Agreement and the call for dialogue
The 1966 Geneva Agreement, which governs the territorial dispute, mandates peaceful resolution through dialogue. Venezuela argues that Guyana has breached this pact by unilaterally advancing oil projects and escalating the dispute to the International Court of Justice.
In response, Venezuela has demanded the immediate activation of the Argyle Declaration, a mechanism established under the Geneva Agreement to de-escalate tensions. “We reaffirm our commitment to peace and diplomacy,” the Foreign Ministry stated, “but we will never abandon our sovereign rights over the Essequibo.”
(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/DZ
