On Sunday, Venezuela’s socialist government plans to conduct what many consider a sham election. This vote is intended to appoint the first governor of a newly created region called “Guayana Esekiva,” alongside local legislators. The dominant socialists are aiming to establish this region within the resource-rich Essequibo area, which is primarily part of neighboring Guyana.
Essequibo covers about 61,600 square miles and is rich in resources. It’s predominantly inhabited by Indigenous groups, making up roughly two-thirds of Guyana’s total land. For over 120 years, Venezuela and Guyana have been embroiled in territorial disagreements without resolution. This issue has persisted since Guyana achieved independence in 1966, particularly after socialists took control in Venezuela in 1999.
The conflict has been relatively quiet for years; however, the tensions flared up again when Nicolás Maduro reignited hostilities after Guyana started signing oil contracts with the U.S. company ExxonMobil in this contested territory.
In light of Maduro’s escalating threat, Guyana has formally reached out to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In 2023, the court noted it had jurisdiction over territorial issues but indicated that a final ruling might still be years away. Maduro, on the other hand, has consistently stated that neither he nor his administration recognizes the ICJ’s decisions related to this dispute.
The planned referendums set for December 2023 aim to establish the Guayana Esekiba province, which is supposed to encompass the entire disputed area. The officials to be “elected” during this weekend’s “elections” will be claimed as “democratically chosen.”
Guyana has strongly condemned Maduro’s proposed elections as a blatant attempt at annexation. In March, it urgently asked the ICJ to stop these upcoming elections. However, the Maduro government dismissed this, even as the ICJ had suggested halting elections in the disputed regions. Still, Maduro’s plans continue unabated.
The situation has left many people in Guyana, especially those near the Venezuelan border, feeling anxious. President Irfan Ali of Guyana voiced his criticism of Venezuela’s territorial ambitions, calling them “a complete attack on national integrity that threatens Guyana’s sovereignty and regional stability.”
“The fraudulent elections Venezuela is staging in our territory are illegal and reflect blatant hostility. This isn’t just a concern for Guyana; it’s a threat to regional peace,” Ali stated.
Brigadier General Omar Khan, head of Guyana’s defense forces, warned that anyone participating in the fake elections could face treason charges, while Venezuelans in Guyana might also be arrested or deported for involvement. “Supporting these actions equates to endorsing a passive coup,” Khan remarked, emphasizing the violation of Guyana’s territorial integrity.
Khan has met with leaders from Guyana’s Indigenous communities near the border, urging them to report any developments regarding the elections happening in Venezuela.
“Stay alert. We want to know what’s happening on the other side, when to act, and how to ensure our safety,” he said.
The illegitimate elections for the governor of “Guayana Esekiva” are set to feature candidates like Neil Vilamizer from the ruling Socialist Party along with four others representing various “opposition” parties. Their campaign has included calls for strengthening military presence, implementing patrols, and promoting local economic development as part of establishing Venezuela’s claim to the disputed territory.
In his closing campaign speech, Villamizar emphasized unity for the homeland, boasting about their election campaign’s success. “We connected with people throughout the territory, sharing in their lives,” he claimed.
Venezuela has historically asserted that the Essequibo region is its rightful territory since gaining independence from Spain in 1811. A ruling from an 1899 arbitration process allocated control over this area to Guyana when it was still known as British Guiana. Since then, Venezuela has declared that this ruling was fraudulent.
In the lead-up to Guyana’s independence, an agreement in 1966 was signed between Venezuela and the UK, stating that control over Essequibo would remain with Guyana until a lasting solution to the conflict could be found. Interestingly, during Hugo Chavez’s regime in the early 2000s, active claims over Essequibo were reportedly set aside at Fidel Castro’s request, as Chavez shifted his focus towards initiatives that were ideologically aligned with his administration.
