This Tuesday, the Venezuelan government voiced its disapproval of recent statements made by Guyana.
These comments concern a planned Venezuelan vote on disputed land between the two countries.
Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry responded quickly. It issued a statement. The statement called Guyana’s comments both “harmful” and “disrespectful.”
Moreover, it said these comments show little regard for the people of Venezuela.
Turning to another aspect, Venezuela brought up Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali. They claim his unwillingness to engage in diplomatic talks could escalate the situation.
Venezuela worries this could turn into a bigger, more dangerous conflict.
Furthermore, Venezuela highlighted some key drivers behind the tension. It pointed fingers at the U.S. Southern Command and oil company ExxonMobil.
Venezuela believes they are fueling this territorial dispute for economic gains.
Venezuela firmly believes in dialogue. It insists that direct negotiations are the best way to resolve the land dispute.
It also called on Guyana to stop taking one-sided actions that could worsen the situation.
Recently, there was an announcement in Venezuela. Its National Electoral Council disclosed five questions for a public vote.
The vote is set for December 3rd. Its purpose is to collect opinions on the disputed territory.
Guyana, in return, was quick to react. It strongly rejected any move that could threaten its territorial integrity.
The issue at hand involves a large piece of land, covering over 150,000 square kilometers.
The International Court of Justice is reviewing this territorial disagreement between Venezuela and Guyana.