On 3 December 2023, Venezuela held a referendum over its claims to a large part of neighbouring Guyana, even though it had been asked not to do so by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Despite a low turnout, the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, claimed overwhelming support for annexation. Since then, Caracas has moved swiftly to assert its sovereignty over the territory. As well as creating a new federal state of Guayana Esequiba, it has produced maps showing the territory as part of Venezuela and ordered international oil companies to leave the area. However, the big question observers are asking is whether Venezuela will try to assert its control by launching an invasion.

The border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana has a long history. Having emerged during Venezuela's independence, which coincided with the creation of British Guiana, in 1831, the dispute was eventually referred to arbitration. In 1899, Britain was given control over a large part of the territory claimed by Venezuela, which reluctantly accepted the ruling. However, in 1962, as Guyana was preparing to become independent, the Venezuelan Government raised the issue again. Since then, the issue has remained unresolved. The matter became even more pressing in 2015 when large oil deposits were discovered off the coast of Guyana. In 2018, and in line with an agreement between Britain and Venezuela, the UN SecretaryGeneral referred the issue to the ICJ. However, as the Court prepares to deliver its findings, Venezuela has decided to take matters into its own hands. But while an invasion would once have seemed unlikely, changes in international politics now make it possible. But will it happen?

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VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Titles
00:45 PostColonial Border Disputes in Internation Relations
02:13 Venezuela and Guyana: Location and Population
02:47 The Emergence of Venezuela and British Guiana
04:18 The Border Dispute between Britain and Venezuela
05:41 The VenezuelaGuyana Border Issue Returns
07:13 The Case Goes to the ICJ
08:37 The Roots of the December 2023 Crisis
10:31 The 2023 VenezuelaGuyana Crisis
11:44 Will Venezuela Invade Guyana?
13:47 The Consequences of a Venezuelan Invasion

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING
Office of the President | Government of Guyana
https://op.gov.gy/
Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Government of Venezuela
https://mppre.gob.ve/en/
VenezuelaGuyana Boundary Dispute | State Department
https://history.state.gov/milestones/...
Venezuela | Question of Boundaries | 1962
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/...
Geneva Agreement | 1966
https://treaties.un.org/doc/publicati...
International Court of Justice | Guyana vs Venezuela
https://www.icjcij.org/case/171

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#Venezuela #Guyana #Conflict