The U.S. Threatens to Intervene in Guayana Esequiba Ahead of Venezuelan Elections
Graffiti on a Venezuelan street reads, “The Essequibo is ours.” Photo: EFE
May 22, 2025 Hour: 1:13 pm
Recently, U.S. Ambassador Theriot reaffirmed Washington’s full support for Guyana in the territorial dispute.
With just days remaining before its regional and legislative elections, Venezuela is facing escalating diplomatic tensions over its territorial dispute with Guyana regarding the Essequibo region.
RELATED:
Venezuelan Electoral Council Opens 12 Polling Stations in Guayana Esequiba
On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot reaffirmed Washington’s full support for Guyana in the territorial dispute. She stated that the U.S. is prepared to support the Guyanese military in efforts to defend its troops along the Cuyuni River, where Venezuelan groups have allegedly carried out incursions.
Her statements echoed the tone of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who in March warned that any Venezuelan action against Guyana or ExxonMobil’s oil interests would be “a big mistake.”
Venezuela has categorically rejected the accusations, describing them as part of a “false flag operation” and denouncing what it calls an international disinformation campaign aimed at undermining its sovereignty and disrupting the May 25 elections.
Bolivarian authorities also pointed out that the presence of Guyanese military forces on the Cuyuni River, as well as the dissemination of unverified reports of armed attacks allegedly launched from the Venezuelan side, violate the Argyle Agreement. Signed in December 2024, this agreement committed Venezuela and Guyana to avoiding provocations.
The Venezuelan government has reiterated that it does not recognize the authority of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has called for a suspension of the elections in the Essequibo, a resource-rich area Venezuela considers part of its historical territory. Once again, however, the U.S. ambassador in Guyana rejected the Venezuelan position.
“We fully support the ICJ provisional measures for Venezuela to halt its so-called elections in the Essequibo… We are extremely unhappy that they made that ill-advised decision to go ahead,” Ambassador Theriot said, as reported by the OilNow outlet.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and the European Union have stepped up their support for Guyana, driven by clear energy interests, as more than 60% of Guyanese crude oil is exported to the European market.
From Caracas, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez directly accused the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Southern Command of actively operating in efforts to take the Essequibo away from the Venezuelan people.
On Sunday, some 21,403 registered voters in the state of Guayana Esequiba will, for the first time, elect one governor, seven members of the Legislative Council, and eight representatives to the National Assembly. To that end, the National Electoral Council has set up 12 voting centers located in the Dalla Costa and San Isidro parishes of the Sifontes municipality in Bolivar state.
“This election represents a historic reaffirmation of our sovereignty, a firm response to external threats, and a democratic lesson to the world,” said Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: teleSUR – EFE – OilNow
