Essequibo: Venezuela casts ballots over rights to oil area governed by Guyana
On Sunday, a referendum is being held in Venezuela, escalating the strain between the South American nation and its adjacent country, Guyana.
The government of Venezuela has initiated a referendum to gauge public backing for its longstanding claim over a disputed oil-abundant stretch of forest managed presently by Guyana.
The area named Essequibo, which spans 159,500 square kilometers or 61,600 square miles, comprises two-thirds of the land that Guyana presently governs. This area is inhabited by 125,000 people, forming a significant part of Guyana's 800,000-strong population.
The conflict regarding the region has been ongoing for over a hundred years.
In 1899, a global arbitration panel granted Britain control over the region. During this period, Britain was the colonial authority governing Guyana, which was referred to as British Guiana at that time.
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However, consecutive Venezuelan administrations over the previous six decades have deemed this decision as unjust.
In 1966, an accord, referred to as the Geneva Agreement, was made between Britain and Venezuela. This agreement set up a commission consisting of delegates from Guyana and Venezuela. This was to review the territorial conflict. It's noteworthy that Guyana gained its independence from Britain in the same year.
Even so, nearly sixty years later, there still hasn't been a resolution.
The conflict escalated in 2015 when American corporation ExxonMobil found oil in the offshore waters of Essequibo.
In 2018, following approval from the United Nations Secretary-General, Guyana presented their case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), located in The Hague, Netherlands, serves as the main legal entity of the United Nations. A significant part of its job is to settle legal conflicts among nations.
The process of the ICJ issuing verdicts can span several years, and generally, its initial task in most instances involves determining its jurisdiction, meaning whether it possesses the legal power to make a judgment on a specific conflict.
In 2020, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that it had the authority to preside over the conflict. However, it hasn't yet made a decision regarding the validity of the case, specifically whether the 1899 arbitration award that granted Essequibo to Guyana is valid.
Venezuela has not acknowledged the authority of the ICJ, but has still persisted in participating in the court's proceedings.
The situation escalated when Guyana's government organized a bidding event in September this year, where oil companies competed for exploration permits in Essequibo waters.
The recent strategic shift, coupled with a substantial new oil find in the region just a month earlier, has amplified the tension on the Venezuelan administration.
Venezuela holds the record for the highest confirmed oil reserves globally. However, in 2019, the United States placed extensive restrictions on the nation's oil industry.
International forces are urging the Venezuelan government, under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro since 2013, to permit unbiased and legitimate elections in 2024.
Recently, the United States softened the restrictions they had placed on Venezuela's oil sector, following the government's decision to remove the prohibition on the primary opposition candidate, María Corina Machado.
Nonetheless, the prohibition on Ms Machado's candidacy for office is still in effect.
Numerous experts view the Essequibo plebiscite as a strategic move by President Maduro to stir up patriotic zeal and divert attention from the demands for unbiased and legitimate elections.
Although the referendum is merely advisory and holds no legal status beyond Venezuela, Guyana has denounced it as a hostile move towards "annexation".
Voters in Venezuela are requested to respond with either a "Yes" or "No" to five queries.
The initial pair essentially inquire if Venezuelans back their nation's assertion for control over the Essequibo area, grounded on Venezuelan reasoning – the supposed illegitimacy of the 1899 arbitration decision and the legitimacy of the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
The third question inquires if the voters concur with the Maduro administration's denial to acknowledge the ICJ's authority in the matter.
This is a contentious issue, as numerous Venezuelan opposition figures and analysts argue that disregarding the ICJ weakens Venezuela's stance.
The fourth question inquires whether Venezuelans "support opposing, legally" Guyana's "solo" exploitation of the sea waters near Essequibo – a nod to Guyana granting oil permits for this marine region.
Doubts have been raised by critics about the usage of "by all means" in this query, pondering if it could encompass the use of armed forces.
The fifth inquiry seeks endorsement for the establishment of the "Guayana Esequiba state" and its subsequent incorporation into the Venezuelan territory map. Guyana vehemently opposes this language, asserting that this equates to the effective "annexation" of the territory it currently governs.
There are worries among some spectators regarding the actions that the Maduro administration might take if – as largely predicted – the referendum results demonstrate significant support for the five issues.
Venezuela's military has publicized plans to build a runway near the existing border with Guyana.
Rocío San Miguel, a security specialist supportive of the opposition, cautioned that the government is exploiting the Essequibo matter in response to the successful primary conducted by opposition parties in October, which attracted over 2.4 million participants.
"Nothing is more effective in shifting focus than introducing a compelling topic that resonates with national pride," stated Ms. San Miguel.
She cautioned that certain questions in the Essequibo referendum, if approved, may grant "excessive authority" to the Maduro administration, possibly even leading to the start of a military confrontation.
Bharrat Jagdeo, the Vice-President of Guyana, has openly cautioned Venezuela that any hostile actions will not be overlooked. He further stated that his administration has garnered extensive global backing.
In late November, Irfaan Ali, the President of Guyana, journeyed to the Essequibo alongside military leaders. His aim was to comfort the local residents and he affirmed his dedication to resolving the border conflict in a non-violent manner.
On Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) instructed Venezuela to abstain from any specific actions that could potentially change the existing conditions in Essequibo.
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