Venezuela threatens to invade Guyana and demands grow for Lula’s position

The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, announced that he will hold a referendum on December 3 to find out whether its population supports the annexation of the Essequibo region, which represents two-thirds of Guyana’s territory.

Guyana rejects Venezuela’s claim, which dates back to the 19th century. The conflict is already being analyzed by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Maduro’s announcement was met with concern by the international community. United States President Joe Biden has already declared that the US “supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.”

Guyana claims that Maduro mobilized the Venezuelan army to the border region of the two countries.

Brazil, which borders Guyana and Venezuela, has not yet commented on the issue and demands are growing for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) to condemn Maduro’s initiative.

What can happen?

If the referendum is approved, Venezuela may attempt to annex the Essequibo region by force. This could lead to a war between the two countries.

However, it is also possible that the referendum will be rejected by the Venezuelan population. This could lead to a political crisis in Venezuela.

What can Brazil do?

Brazil must speak out on the issue and defend Guyana’s sovereignty. The country can also work to resolve the conflict peacefully, through diplomacy.

Portal do Holanda was founded on November 14, 2005. First with a column, named after its founder, journalist Raimundo de Holanda. Then it moved to Blog do Holanda and finally Portal do Holanda. It was one of the first websites in the State of Amazonas. It is audited by IVC and ComScore.