UK backs Guyana over disgruntled Venezuela

The former colonial power, the United Kingdom, on Monday reaffirmed its support for Guyana in the crisis over Essequibo, an oil-rich territory claimed by Venezuela, prompting a strong reaction. “England stands with Guyana“, announced the British minister of the United States, David Rutley, at X, following a closed-door meeting with Guyanese President Irfan Ali. The two posed for a handshake. “Today, in Georgetown, I reiterated our strong support for Guyana’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and regional peace.“, he wrote without referring to Venezuela.

Mr. Ali and Mr. Talks between RutleyFocused on continuing and expanding the UK-Guyana relationship, particularly on security and sustainable economic development», according to the press release of the Guyanese Presidency, which also did not mention Venezuela. Mr Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro met for a summit on December 15 that helped ease pressure – pledging not to use force – but did not resolve the dispute, with both countries camped out in their positions.

Rich in oil

Tensions rose after Guyana opened oil tenders in September and then held a vote in Venezuela on December 3 to annex a 160,000 km2 oil and natural resource-rich area administered by Georgetown and claimed by Venezuela. .

Caracas reacted strongly to Mr Rutley’s visit. “The former empire, invader and slave, illegally occupied the territory of Guyana Essequiba (another name for Essequibo) and acted fundamentally and actively against the interests of Venezuela, insisting on intervention in the territorial conflict of its own making.», Foreign Minister Yuan Gil, who commented on X, Mr. described Rutley as “dead endsAbout 125,000 people, or one-fifth of Guyana’s population, live in the Essequibo, which covers two-thirds of the country’s land area. Venezuela maintains that the Essequibo River is the natural border, as it was in 1777 during the Spanish Empire. Recognized by the Court of Arbitration in Paris.