Venezuela’s socialist government on Thursday approved a law that would “officially” create a new state in two-thirds of neighboring Guyana and annex the historically disputed territory of Essequibo.
Article 39 of the law; named The “Organic Law for the Defense of Guayana Esequiba” established what would be considered the creation of a new state of Venezuela. Guyana Esequiba Its range is said to consist of Essequibo Island, a 61,600 square mile territory currently administered by Guyana and accounting for approximately two-thirds of its total territory.
The law was only recently approved by the Socialist-controlled parliament and is part of the government’s broader policies. schedule, In December, it announced the annexation of the Essequibo region, a move that includes granting Venezuelan identity cards to the region’s largely indigenous population. Issue oil, gas and mining licenses to develop resource-rich areas. and establish authorities to “manage” the territory and “protect” its biodiversity.
The socialist regime claims its annexation plan is part of a “mandate” resulting from the false Five Questions referendum The meeting was held in early December, and the question was “what should be done” regarding the Essequibo conflict.
Socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro and his regime claim more than “10 million” votes were cast in favor of annexation referendum, despite widespread footage showing low turnout and completely empty election centers This is a much higher turnout than any other nationally claimed turnout. Last fake election.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks at the closing ceremony of the Venezuelan referendum on disputed territory with Guyana in Caracas, Venezuela, December 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Delacroix)
“The Basic Law for the Defense of Guayana Esequiba has been declared sanctioned,” Congress President Jorge Rodriguez wrote on social media. “We fulfilled the wishes of the Venezuelan people who came together with Jesus five times on December 3rd!”
Declare Rey Organica of Defensa de la Guayana Esequiba. He spent five days in a Pueblo in Venezuela, three days a day, to ensure safe conditions. pic.twitter.com/BFQHCkFTit
— Jorge Rodriguez (@jorgerpsuv) March 21, 2024
Venezuela and Guyana have been in a territorial dispute over the Essequibo Islands for more than 120 years. Venezuela has historically claimed that the territory has been part of its borders since gaining independence from Spain in 1811. This was 188 years before the rise of the current ruling power, the Bolivarian Revolution, in 1999.
Arbitration proceedings were held in Paris in 1899, establishing the current borders of the two countries and giving Guyana control of Essequibo. Venezuela has historically challenged the Paris ruling at the United Nations as unjust, resulting in a separate agreement in Geneva in 1966 that gave Guyana control of Essequibo until a permanent solution to the conflict was found. signed.
The agreement has not yet reached a final conclusion, as the conflict remained relatively dormant for several decades. International Court of Justice (ICJ) control He said the country would have jurisdiction over the dispute in 2023, but said it would be “many years” before a final judgment could be reached.
President Maduro appears to have reignited the conflict following Guyana’s decision to sign an offshore oil drilling contract with American oil company ExxonMobil. The Maduro government has repeatedly blackmailed ExxonMobil will refrain from conducting business with Guyana and will do the following: expand Venezuelan Navy in December 2018.
Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Maduro’s new law establishes a “set of instruments and mechanisms aimed at the defense” of Essequibo territory, ignores the 1899 Paris arbitration, and “ratifies” the 1966 Geneva Conventions.
The law also imposes several sanctions on anyone who does not “support” Venezuela’s territorial claims or sign a contract with Guyana.
Article 25 of the Act state Anyone who “supports public positions” in Guyana will be penalized with a complete ban from holding or holding public office. Article 27 provides that the Venezuelan executive authorities may prohibit the conclusion of contracts or agreements with legal entities that are “acting or cooperating” with Guyana claiming territorial rights “on the basis of concessions granted unilaterally.” are doing.
The law also requires the new state of Guyana-Essequiba to appear on Venezuela’s political maps, and anyone who “prepares, publishes, or distributes any map, plan, or diagram” omitting the alleged new state prescribes fines and sanctions for
Overall map of Venezuela including the territory of Essequibo in Caracas, Venezuela, December 8, 2023 (Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Fines are possible range 1,000 to 100,000 USD, the euro, or the foreign currency with the highest official exchange value against the Venezuelan bolivar at the time of imposition of the fine. Similarly, fines could be imposed on those who “refuse to provide important historical information” about territorial claims.
Diosdado Cabello, a top socialist government figure and drug lord, celebrated the approval of the law, saying, “The approved law proves the right of the Venezuelan people to defend our territory.” .
“This law is a model and must help global decision-makers clarify Venezuela’s position going forward,” Cabello said. Said. “This law must be followed.”
The provisional disposition of this law means that Diosdado Cabello’s younger brother, Alexis Rodríguez Cabello, will serve as “governor” while the territorial dispute is resolved and “elections” are held in the new nation. It stipulates that the Venezuelan government agencies shall carry out other administrative and legislative matters. function.
The law is expected to be sent to the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court in the coming days for a “ruling” on its constitutionality. The judiciary is expected to approve the law, as the ruling socialists control all courts in Venezuela.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
