The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), led by Luis Almagro, on Thursday classified the referendum on the Essequibo region called by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as “illegal and illegitimate”.
Almagro’s office in a statement denounced the Venezuelan government’s “aggressive position” towards Guyana, saying that Rising tensions between the two countries are a “regional security problem” and threaten “territorial stability and sovereignty” on the continent.
The referendum, in which the majority of citizens who participated voted in favor of annexing Essequibo to Venezuela, “once again” represents an “antidemocratic” use of “democratic processes” by Maduro, the statement said.
“The regime’s recent actions in Venezuela not only endanger Guyana’s development and stability, but also pose a broader risk to the security of Latin America and the Caribbean. denounced the leadership of the OAS.
Almagro, in turn, asked the organization’s Permanent Council to convene a special meeting to “discuss possible measures to ease tensions between the two South American countries.”
The Venezuelan government, which submitted a formal request to leave the OAS in 2017, has no representation in the organization.
On Sunday, Venezuela held a consultative referendum promoted by Nicolás Maduro’s government that won voter support on the status of the Essequibo region, a 160,000-square-kilometer jungle rich in natural resources.
On Wednesday, Venezuela’s president ordered the creation of a state in Guyana and the annexation of the territory of Essequibo, raising tensions in the region.
In 2015, ExxonMobil discovered several oil deposits in Essequibo.
Meanwhile, Guyana has already allowed eight foreign oil companies to explore oil reserves in the waters claimed by Venezuela.
The border disputes began with the Paris arbitration decision of October 3, 1899, which granted sovereignty over the territory to what was then British Guiana. The decision has been challenged by Venezuela at the UN since 1962.
Source: DN
