Guyana–Venezuela crisis (2023–present)
| 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Area in dispute between both countries in green. | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Guyana |
 Venezuela | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
The 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis is an ongoing diplomatic crisis between Guyana and Venezuela, relating to the territorial dispute over Guayana Esequiba.
Background
The Spanish Empire founded the Captaincy General of Venezuela including the currently disputed territory of Guayana Esequiba, which Venezuela was left with after its war of independence. Shortly after this, the British Empire colonized Guyana, trading it with the Netherlands in an agreement that did not define its western border, after which the British Empire claimed the territory in 1840 and invaded it in 1841, claiming even more territory in 1886.[1]
The United States denounced under the Monroe Doctrine that the border had expanded in a "mysterious manner," suggesting that the conflict be resolved in international arbitration. Both countries set their limits in a previous Award of 1899 signed in Paris, where British Guiana's ownership of the territory was dictated.[2] However, in 1949 a memorandum from the American lawyer Severo Mallet-Prevost, who was part of the defense of Venezuela in the Paris Arbitration Award, was revealed, in which he denounced that the judges had not been impartial, since everything was arranged to favor to Guyana.[1]
After that, Venezuela signed the Geneva Agreement in 1966 with the United Kingdom before the independence of Guyana, which occurred that same year, which established bases for a negotiated solution to the territorial dispute. Under this argument, Venezuela claims its sovereignty over the Guayana Esequiba.[2] Guyana, for its part, argues that Venezuela renounced the territory after the Paris Award.[3]
History
Following discoveries of oil and gas fields,[4] on 19 September 2023, Guyana authorized six foreign oil companies including ExxonMobil to drill in waters claimed by Venezuela.[3][5]
The government of Nicolás Maduro promoted a consultative referendum for 3 December 2023 in which five questions will be asked to citizens, among them, whether they agree to "oppose, by all means, in accordance with the law, the Guyana's claim to unilaterally dispose of a sea pending delimitation, illegally and in violation of international law" and whether they would be in favor of giving Venezuelan nationality to the 125,000 inhabitants of Guayana Esequiba.[6][7][8] The government has criticized the "abuses of ExxonMobil" and the United States Southern Command,[3][8] deploying a media campaign that has appealed to Venezuelan patriotism.[9] The opposition's response was divided: on the one hand, María Corina Machado, the current leader of the opposition political coalition, assured that sovereignty was not consulted, but rather exercised, and asked to suspend the referendum to form a national team with the purpose of filing a claim at the International Court of Justice (ICJ),[10] while Manuel Rosales and Henrique Capriles, both former opposition presidential candidates, were in favor: Rosales called to vote in the referendum and Capriles announced that he would vote.[11]
The referendum caused a diplomatic crisis between both countries.[12] Representatives of Venezuela and Guyana asked in a hearing held at the ICJ in mid-November 2023 that the Court recognize their sovereignty over the Essequibo. Guyana also requested that the referendum be repealed, alleging that Venezuela intended to annex the territory, a request that the Venezuelan government rejected.[4]
In this context, at the end of November 2023, the President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, met with soldiers who guard the border between both countries and the next day Guyana released a video in which he raised the Guyanese flag at an event on the Pakarampa mountain in Guayana Esequiba, near Venezuela's Bolívar state, where President Ali took an oath of national loyalty.[8] After these acts, the Minister of Defense of Venezuela, Vladimir Padrino López declared that the Venezuelan Armed Forces will be "permanently vigilant" of "any action that threatens" the "territorial integrity", asking the population to vote in the referendum and adding that the conflict "for now" is not a war.[13] The governor of Zulia, Manuel Rosales, assured that "Guayana Esequiba is one hundred percent Venezuelan territory," arguing that Guyana's actions violated the 1966 Geneva agreement, and criticized the fact that the UN and the OAS did not speak out on the matter.[14]
On November 23, senior military officers from the Guyana Defence Force and the Brazilian Armed Forces met for a military exchange. Brazil has been a strong supporter of Guyana in the border controversy.[15]
Brazil currently tries to establish mediation between both countries to avoid an armed conflict.[2] Two teams from the United States Department of Defense are scheduled to visit Guyana in late November.[8] Guyana proposed establishing foreign military bases in its country.[3] The Brazilian Army mobilized towards the border of both countries anticipating a possible Venezuelan occupation.[16] Reports from Brazilian intelligence suggest an imminent military move by the Venezuelan Army against Guyana in the coming days, raising concerns about regional stability and territorial disputes in South America.[17]
Between November 27 and 29, the Brazilian military mobilization includes the deployment of 16 armored vehicles VBTP-MR Guarani from the 5th Army Division to Boa Vista. The Brazilian army has also mobilized Leopard tanks to increase their defensive capabilities. Infantry troops from São Paulo are equally being deployed.[18]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Esequibo: qué riquezas hay en el territorio que se disputan Guyana y Venezuela desde hace casi dos siglos". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 2023-11-24.
- ^ a b c Taglioni, Augusto. "Lula quiere evitar una guerra entre Venezuela y Guyana y manda a un hombre de confianza a mediar". La Política Online.
- ^ a b c d "Guyana se planta en zona reclamada por Venezuela y estudia presencia militar extranjera". Swissinfo. 2023-11-24.
- ^ a b "Venezuela y Guyana se enfrentan en La Haya por el Esequibo". Deutsche Welle. 14 November 2023.
- ^ Veiga, Gustavo (2023-11-12). "Venezuela, Guyana y el conflicto del Esequibo | El 3 de diciembre los venezolanos votan un referéndum sobre la región en disputa". PAGINA12.
- ^ "Venezuela fija para 3 de diciembre referendo sobre territorio en disputa con Guyana". Reuters. 20 October 2023.
- ^ "Peligro de conflicto armado entre Venezuela y Guyana es "grande y real" advierten expertos". Voz de América (in Spanish). 2023-11-17.
- ^ a b c d "Guyana se planta en zona reclamada por Venezuela y estudia presencia militar extranjera". France 24. 2023-11-24.
- ^ "Venezuela recurre a reguetón patriótico y videos para avivar disputa territorial con Guyana". AP News (in Spanish). 2023-11-21.
- ^ "Venezuela: María Corina Machado dice que el referendo por el Esequibo es un "error" y considera que "debe suspenderse"". Voz de América. 2023-11-22.
- ^ "Capriles participará en la consulta sobre el Esequibo: "Esto no se trata de Maduro"". El Nacional. 29 November 2023.
- ^ Sourtech. "Sube la tensión entre Venezuela y Guyana". El Economista.
- ^ ""Por ahora, no es guerra": Ministro de Defensa de Venezuela". Urgente24. 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Gobernador venezolano cuestiona silencio de ONU y OEA tras presunta provocación de Guyana". Veintitrés. 28 November 2023.
- ^ "Guyana and Brazil Military Officials meeting on border security and military cooperation". 23 November 2023.
- ^ "El Ejército de Brasil se moviliza por una posible invasión de Venezuela a Guyana". Escenario Mundial. 2023-11-29.
- ^ https://defence-blog.com/venezuela-prepares-for-invasion-into-guyana/
- ^ "Brazilian Army on High Alert Amid Potential Venezuelan Invasion of Guyana". 27 November 2023.