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Soriek  9mo ago (text post)   1604 thread views

Transnational Thursdays 26

This is a weekly thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or IR history. I usually start off with coverage of some current events from a mix of countries I follow personally and countries I think the forum lives in or might be interested in. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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Venezuela

The deadline for Venezuela to approve Maria Machado for the general election draws closer without any formal activity yet. If this demand is not approved then America’s sanctions will snap back into place. Speaking of voting, Venezuela is now holding a referendum over whether to reopen a territorial dispute with neighboring Guyana, which Guyana considers “an existential threat”. They’re probably not wrong - the territory in question, the Essequibo region, is like two thirds of the whole country.

The Tunisia-sized swath of jungle west of the Essequibo River in the dispute is rich in gold, diamonds, timber and other natural resources.

Guyana launched a case at the world court in 2018 seeking to have U.N. judges uphold the 1899 ruling. It returned to the court last month after Venezuelan authorities published five questions the country plans to ask in a consultative referendum scheduled for Dec. 3 about the future of the Essequibo.

“The collective decision called for here involves nothing less than the annexation of the territory in dispute in this case. This is a textbook example of annexation,” said Paul Reichler, an American lawyer representing Guyana…

It is a significant escalation in frictions between the countries that have increased since 2015 as a result of oil exploration operations by ExxonMobil and other companies in offshore areas intersecting the disputed territory.

The Venezuelan government maintains that Guyana does not have jurisdiction to grant concessions in maritime areas off the Essequibo.

The referendum is scheduled to take place six weeks after Venezuela’s opposition held a presidential primary that exceeded participation expectations, including in areas long considered strongholds of the ruling party.

Perhaps coincidentally, on Tuesday, the same day Guyana will be presenting to the ICJ, ExxonMobil is beginning production at a third offshore facility under Guyana’s EEZ.

What is the Venezuelan opposition's current stance on the Guyana issue?

Machado is in favor of Venezuela gaining the land, but is opposed to the referendum / claiming it without going through the appropriate legal channels, which is basically equivalent to ackowledging they won't get it:

María Corina Machado, the presidential candidate of Venezuela’s main opposition coalition, has urged the government to adhere to the process at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the Essequibo territorial controversy with Guyana. Speaking to publication EFE, Machado said Venezuela should hire the best defense to “win” the case, a stance contrary to the Maduro regime’s rejection of the ICJ’s involvement.

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