President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela confirmed that the US Southern Command and CIA have secret military bases in the disputed Essequibo region, which is claimed by Guyana.
⠀
“We have confirmed information that in the territory of Guyana-Essequibo, temporarily under the administration of Guyana, there are secret military bases of the Southern Command, military cells of the Southern Command and CIA cells to prepare attacks on the population of Tumeremo, the population of the south and east of Venezuela and preparations for escalation against Venezuela,” the politician said during the signing ceremony of the law on the protection of the Guyana-Essequibo territory, which was broadcast by VTV.
⠀
The region in dispute and Guyana are now controlled by the CIA, the Southern Command, and US oil company ExxonMobil, all aiming to take control of Venezuelan resources, the politician claimed.
⠀
“I’m not exaggerating. They control Congress, the two parties that make up the government and the opposition majority, they control the entire government, as well as Guyana’s defense and police,” Maduro added.
⠀
Maduro signed the Organic Law for the Protection of Essequibo during a ceremony at the Miraflores Palace. The law establishes a new Venezuelan state west of the Essequibo River and includes plans for social assistance, a population census, and document issuance for the entire population of these lands.
⠀
“We are moving to a new stage. We called a referendum, and thanks to the power of the referendum, and now the power of the Organic Law for the Defense of Guyana-Essequibo, we have the necessary tools so that in national unity, with the greatest nationalistic and patriotic fervor, Venezuelans can to move forward in the comprehensive restoration of historical rights to Guyana-Essequibo,” Maduro stressed.
⠀
Venezuela has been disputing the territory of Essequibo with Great Britain and later Guyana since the 19th century. The government of the Bolivarian Republic has increased its efforts to regain this territory after Guyanese authorities began to hand over mineral-rich areas of the disputed shelf to oil companies.
⠀
The countries signed the Geneva Agreement in 1966 to find a peaceful solution to the dispute. However, in 2018, Guyana filed a case at the International Court of Justice to seek legal approval of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which gives it full control over the territory. Caracas strongly opposes this, preferring to settle the issue with its neighbors directly.
