Citizens of Venezuela are currently participating in a referendum to determine the fate of a significant portion of neighboring Guyana. The Venezuelan government asserts ownership of this territory, claiming it was taken from them when a border was established over one hundred years ago.
The country of Guyana views the referendum as a progression towards annexing the disputed territory of Essequibo, causing anxiety among its residents. The referendum poses the question to Venezuelans of whether they are in favor of creating a new state in Essequibo, giving citizenship to current and future inhabitants, and refusing to recognize the United Nations’ highest court in resolving the conflict between the two nations.
On Friday, the international court of justice ruled that Venezuela must refrain from any actions that would change Guyana’s authority over Essequibo. However, the judges did not explicitly prohibit officials from conducting the five-question referendum on Sunday.
The country of Guyana had requested that the court direct Venezuela to cease certain aspects of the voting process.
The effects of the referendum, both in terms of the law and practicality, are still uncertain. However, in her remarks regarding Friday’s ruling, the head of the international court, Joan E Donoghue, stated that indications from Venezuela’s government indicate that they are working towards gaining control and managing the disputed territory.
In addition, officials from the Venezuelan military stated that they are undertaking specific actions to construct an airstrip that will function as a support point for the comprehensive development of the Essequibo.
The disputed territory, which covers 61,600 square miles (159,500 square kilometers) and makes up two-thirds of Guyana, is also adjacent to Brazil. The Brazilian defense ministry released a statement earlier this week stating that it has increased its defense efforts and military presence in the area due to the ongoing dispute.
The area of Essequibo is bigger than Greece and has abundant mineral resources. Additionally, it provides entry to a section of the Atlantic Ocean where significant amounts of oil were found in 2015, prompting the interest of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro.
The Venezuelan government encouraged citizens to participate in the referendum for several weeks, portraying it as a patriotic action and sometimes linking it to showing support for Maduro. Last month, his administration conducted a simulated referendum, but did not disclose the number of participants or outcomes.
Venezuela has always considered Essequibo as its own because the region was within its boundaries during the Spanish colonial period, and it has long disputed the border decided by international arbitrators in 1899, when Guyana was still a British colony.
The border was determined by arbitrators from the US, Britain, and Russia. The US served as the representative of Venezuela on the committee due to the Venezuelan government’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Britain.
Officials from Venezuela claim that the United States and Europe colluded to defraud their nation of its land. They also argue that a 1966 agreement aimed at resolving the dispute effectively rendered the original arbitration invalid.
Guyana, the sole nation in South America where English is the official language, asserts that the initial agreement is both valid and obligatory. In 2018, they requested the international court of justice to recognize this, but a ruling is not expected for several years.
On Sunday, voters will be asked to respond to the question of whether they are in favor of rejecting the 1899 boundary through any legal means, and if they support the 1966 agreement as the sole legally binding instrument for finding a solution.
Maduro and his supporters are encouraging voters to respond affirmatively to all five inquiries on the referendum.
Source: theguardian.com
