Caracas, (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for threatening military action against Venezuela over the ongoing Essequibo Strip territorial dispute with Guyana.
“Marco Rubio is out there threatening Venezuela from Guyana,” Maduro stated during a meeting with communal and popular organizations last week. He labeled the Republican politician an “imbecile” and asserted, “Nobody threatens Venezuela.”
Rubio’s comments came during a joint press conference in Georgetown with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali during an official trip to the Caribbean region on March 26 and 27. The US Secretary had previously visited Suriname and Jamaica, where he also held bilateral meetings with heads of state from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti.
When asked by a journalist about the US response if Venezuela were to attack Guyana or the US corporation ExxonMobil—which operates in the disputed Essequibo region—Rubio stated that such an action would lead to “a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime.” He emphasized that the US Navy has proven its capability “to get anywhere in the world.”
Rubio also affirmed Washington’s support for Georgetown in the border controversy and labeled Venezuela’s sovereignty claim as “illegitimate.” The US diplomat called Guyana “one of the most exciting places in the world to visit” due to its extensive energy resources in the disputed Essequibo region and its territorial waters.
“We [the US] want to be your partner,” he added.
According to a State Department press release, the Secretary of State and President Ali signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at “strengthening information sharing, synthetic drug detection, transnational organized crime investigations and prosecutions, and military-to-military cooperation.”
For his part, the Guyanese leader mentioned that alleged Venezuelan threats were discussed during their meeting and noted that the signed agreement would enhance the partnership between the US and Guyana.
The latest threats against Venezuela follow an armed clash in the disputed Essequibo Strip in February that left six members of the Guyanese Defense Force (GDF) wounded in a reported firefight with an armed group. The Maduro government accused Guyana of using the incident for political gain.
Georgetown attributed the clash to “criminal gangs” operating on the Venezuelan side of the border, while Caracas claimed that illegal miners in the Essequibo territory were attacked by Guyanese soldiers, resulting in multiple injuries.
In early March, diplomatic tensions escalated when the Guyanese government accused a Venezuelan naval patrol of approaching an ExxonMobil oil facility in the disputed offshore area. Venezuela denied the accusation, asserting that the territorial waters in question are not Guyanese but rather a “maritime zone pending delimitation in accordance with international law.”
The two neighboring nations’ dispute over the resource-rich Essequibo region dates back to the 19th century. Venezuela’s position is that the 1966 Geneva Agreement remains the only mechanism to solve the border controversy, while Guyana looks to uphold an 1899 ruling that granted the territory to its former colonizer, the United Kingdom.
The controversy flared up in 2015 following the discovery of massive offshore oil deposits by ExxonMobil, which has ramped up operations in the disputed territorial waters. Its stated goal is to extract up to 1.2 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) by 2027. The projected production rate would make Guyana one of the fastest-growing oil producers globally.
Caracas has contested the oil exploration for violating the 1966 accord and has repeatedly denounced the growing US-backed militarization in the region, including joint military drills between Guyanese forces and the US Southern Command.
In 2018, Guyana requested the intervention of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague over the territorial dispute; despite Venezuela not recognizing the court’s jurisdiction, the Maduro government has participated in hearings. In December 2023, President Maduro and his Guyanese counterpart signed the “Argyle Mechanism,” establishing a dialogue between the two Caribbean nations.
The resource-rich, sparsely populated Essequibo Strip is administered by Guyana. In April 2024, the Venezuelan National Assembly passed a law establishing institutions for a would-be Guayana Esequiba state. More recently, Venezuela announced that the upcoming regional elections will include choosing a governor for Guayana Esequiba.
Defense of Cuban doctors
During last week’s Caribbean trip, Rubio also faced criticism for his remarks about Cuba’s medical program, which has seen Havana deploy doctors worldwide under solidarity and cooperation agreements for over six decades. At a press conference in Kingston, he alleged Cuban brigade physicians were victims of “forced labor” and not paid.
In response, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness rejected Rubio’s claims, emphasizing that Cuban doctors have been “incredibly helpful” to Jamaica. He affirmed that his country will continue to employ Cuban medical professionals while upholding international labor standards.
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) likewise supported Cuba’s medical missions in a recent summit, stating they have saved “countless lives” and are a “vital pillar of the healthcare systems in the region.”
Edited by Cira Pascual Marquina in Caracas and José Luis Granados Ceja in Mexico City.
