Venezuela tensions boil over: Guyana soldiers attacked three times

Guyanese soldiers have faced a series of attacks within a 24-hour span in the oil-rich and heavily contested border region of Essequibo.

This region is reportedly also claimed by neighboring Venezuela.

The confrontations occurred amid heightened tensions, with Venezuela announcing plans to include the disputed area in upcoming elections, despite international opposition.

According to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the soldiers were attacked three times while patrolling along the Cuyuní River in Essequibo.

The assaults were reportedly carried out by armed men dressed in civilian clothing, indicating a possible use of irregular forces or militias to exert influence in the region.

In a statement released Thursday, the GDF confirmed that no soldiers were injured in any of the incidents and that each attack was met with a “measured response.”

The military also reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and responded firmly:

“The Guyana Defence Force will continue to respond to acts of aggression along the Guyana-Venezuela border.”

The Essequibo region, at the heart of this dispute, constitutes about two-thirds of Guyana’s national territory and is home to roughly 125,000 people out of the country’s total population of just over 800,000.

The area has been administered by Guyana for decades, and the nation maintains that the region’s borders were formally and fairly determined by an international arbitration panel in 1899.

In contrast, Venezuela rejects that ruling, arguing that the Essequibo River should serve as the natural boundary between the two countries.

Caracas claims the river was acknowledged as a national border dating as far back as 1777, when Venezuela was still part of the Spanish Empire.

This long-standing border conflict intensified significantly in 2015.

It was supposedly after ExxonMobil, a major U.S. oil corporation, discovered vast crude oil reserves in the Essequibo region.

The discovery transformed the area into a high-stakes geopolitical flashpoint.

Media reports say it was particularly after Guyana began auctioning oil blocks in 2023, a move that further enraged Venezuelan authorities.

Owing to this discovery, Guyana, a relatively small, English-speaking nation with colonial roots under the British and Dutch, now boasts the highest crude oil reserves per capita in the world.

The newfound wealth potential has made control over Essequibo even more critical for both nations.

In response, Venezuela held a referendum to reassert its claim over Essequibo.

It has also openly threatened to annex the area, proposing to incorporate it as the country’s 24th state.

In a provocative move, Venezuela also announced that Essequibo would be included in gubernatorial elections set for May 25.

This, according to ti, is regardless of the United Nations’ top court (International Court of Justice) having issued a ruling prohibiting Venezuela from organizing any such vote in the disputed territory.

Despite a previous diplomatic breakthrough in December 2023, when the presidents of Guyana and Venezuela met in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and agreed to avoid military conflict, tensions remain high.

Those hopes for de-escalation were undermined in February 2024.

This was when Guyana reported that six of its soldiers were injured in an ambush in the same disputed area, suggesting that the truce is fragile at best.

In its latest statement, the GDF reiterated that it “remains resolute in its mission to protect Guyana’s territorial integrity.”

It also stated that it is taking all necessary measures to safeguard the nation’s borders and maintain peace and security within their beloved country.

As the situation develops, the potential for conflict persists.

This is especially with Venezuela’s insistence on holding elections in a region under Guyanese administration.

The international community, particularly organizations like the United Nations, will be closely monitoring both nations’ actions in the days leading up to the May 25 vote.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook