Disputes intensify between Venezuela and Guyana over oil-filled territorial waters
Rewritten Article:
Mexico City, Mexico, March 3, 2025 - Caracas denies Guyanese accusations over an alleged intrusion by a Venezuelan Navy vessel in the rich oil area of the Essequibo region.
The Guyanese President, Irfaan Ali, stated that a Venezuelan naval patrol had approached an oil facility linked to ExxonMobil's drilling operations in the contested offshore region.
The Venezuelan government retorted through a statement on Saturday, stating that the territorial waters are not Guyanese, but rather a "maritime zone pending delimitation in accordance with international law."
"Venezuela categorically refutes the unfounded statements of the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, who blatantly lies by claiming that units of the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela are violating Guyana's maritime territory," states the communique.
Ali announced that he had summoned the Venezuelan ambassador and instructed Guyana's embassy to lodge a formal protest with the Venezuelan government. During a televised address, he designated the incursion as "a matter of serious concern."
Caracas accused the Guyanese president of deliberately escalating the ongoing controversy over the Essequibo, likening him to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who recently made headlines after clashing with US President Donald Trump inside the White House.
"The statements of Irfaan Ali, the Caribbean version of Zelensky, are full of inaccuracies, falsehoods, and contradictions, in his eagerness to disrupt the peace and tranquility of our region by sowing a dangerous conflict," asserted the Nicolás Maduro government in its statement.
The US State Department weighed in on the matter, supporting Georgetown and labeling the disputed waters "Guyana's internationally-recognized maritime territory." In a threatening tone, they stated: "Further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime."
The latest diplomatic spat follows a recent armed clash in the disputed region that witnessed six members of the Guyanese Defense Forces (GDF) wounded in a reported firefight with an armed group. Caracas also accused Ali of manipulating the incident for political reasons.
According to Venezuelan authorities, people involved in illegal mining activities in the Essequibo territory were attacked by Guyanese soldiers, leaving several injured on Venezuelan territory.
In response to these recent incidents, Venezuela announced that it would invoke the December 2023 "Argyle Mechanism" - a dialogue mechanism between the two Caribbean nations - that was established to address disputes arising from the two-century-old border issue. The Maduro government repeated its claim over the disputed strip and territorial waters while reaffirming its commitment to the principles of the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
The sovereignty over the Essequibo region is currently the subject of International Court of Justice (ICJ) proceedings, with Guyana requesting that the court enforce the 1899 arbitration ruling. Despite Venezuela's rejection of the court's jurisdiction over the matter, it has presented its defense in court.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
Enrichment Data:The territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the Essequibo region and its oil-rich waters remains a long-standing issue with escalating tensions in 2025.
The conflict, dating back to the 19th century, revolves around the Essequibo region – a vast area west of the Essequibo River, covering approximately 159,500 square kilometers, which Venezuela claims as its own territory. Guyana relies on an 1899 arbitration award that assigned the territory to British Guiana (now Guyana). Venezuela considers that award invalid and seeks the return of the region, which it calls Guayana Esequiba[2][4][5].
The controversy gained momentum after ExxonMobil discovered substantial offshore oil reserves in 2015, with these resources lying in contested waters[4][5]. Recent developments in 2024-2025 include Venezuela holding a consultative referendum in late 2023 to secure public backing for its position against the 1899 ruling and the ICJ jurisdiction, the creation of a new state called Guayana Esequiba, and a formal dispute over offshore oil activities. The situation remains tense, with military tensions and unresolved sovereignty claims over a strategically and economically vital region.
- The Venezuelan government, in response to allegations by Guyana's President Irfaan Ali, asserted that the Essequibo region's territorial waters are undefined under international law, contrary to Ali's claims.
- Despite the US State Department's support for Guyana, Venezuelan authorities have accused Irfaan Ali of deliberately escalating tensions over the oil-rich Essequibo region, likening him to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- In an attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute, Venezuela announced its intention to invoke the "Argyle Mechanism" – a dialogue mechanism established in December 2023 to address disagreements related to the two-century-old border issue between the two countries.
- Guyana has petitioned the International Court of Justice to enforce an 1899 arbitration ruling assigning the Essequibo region to British Guiana (now Guyana), which Venezuela considers invalid and seeks to contest.
- The latest development in this long-standing conflict involves a diplomatic spat over oil-and-gas activities in the disputed region, with the US warning of consequences for the Maduro regime if it continues to provoke Guyana.
- Amidst the escalating war-and-conflicts in the Essequibo region, the finance and energy industries have taken notice, with the oil industry being a key player due to the substantial offshore oil reserves discovered in the contested waters.
