Venezuela Holds Elections in Oil-Rich Disputed Guyana Region

Venezuela, under President Nicolás Maduro, held regional and legislative elections that controversially included the oil-rich region of Essequibo, a territory internationally recognized as part of neighboring Guyana. Maduro's government elected a governor and legislators for Essequibo in an attempt to assert sovereignty over the 160,000-square-kilometer area, which has been disputed for over a century and contains vast oil reserves. The U.S. State Department and Guyanese officials condemned the elections as a provocation and a threat to Guyana's territorial integrity, calling the vote a sham and an opportunistic move toward annexation. Despite the International Court of Justice urging Venezuela to refrain from holding elections in the area, Maduro's administration rejected the court's jurisdiction and proceeded with the polls. The opposition in Venezuela boycotted the election, arguing it legitimizes Maduro’s contested rule, while Maduro used nationalist rhetoric to rally domestic support amidst economic and political turmoil. Guyana, with a much smaller military and population compared to Venezuela, remains on high alert amid fears of possible Venezuelan aggression over the dispute.