Eric Farnsworth on NBC News: Venezuela's Threat to Claim the Essequibo Region
Eric Farnsworth on NBC News: Venezuela's Threat to Claim the Essequibo Region
Nicolás Maduro is trying to "open up Guyanese territory for international exploitation," said AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth to NBC News.
AS/COA's Vice President, Eric Farnsworth, spoke with Guad Venegas from NBC News, about the rising tensions between Venezuela and Guyana. This comes after Venezuelans approved a referendum that claims ownership of the Essequibo region—currently part of Guyana—and after Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro ordered state-owned oil companies to issue extraction licenses for the region, which can be seen as a direct threat to Guyana's territorial integrity.
Ownership of the Essequibo territory has been disputed by Venezuela for more than a century, even when a tribunal of arbitration conceded land rights of the region to Guyana in the 1840s. Farnsworth highlighted how this land dispute has been an important issue for both past and current administrations.
"When Hugo Chávez was alive, he actually put an additional star on the flag of Venezuela, an eighth star which represents the quote-unquote stolen district of the Essequibo to remind the Venezuelan people that it's a constant issue for them," said Farnsworth.
Caracas' claims intensified in 2015, after large amounts of oil were discovered in the region and off its coast. In the referendum, 95 percent of Venezuelans voted in favor of claiming this territory. Maduro, who's served as Venezuela's president since 2013, is now using this to claim full ownership of the region.
"What Maduro is trying to do is open up Guyanese territory for international exploitation by providing licenses from Venezuela. This is a new development and [he is] seeking international partners," added Farnsworth.
