The two countries have been at odds over the Essequibo territory that covers two-thirds of Guyana’s land area but is claimed by Venezuela.
Venezuela’s armed forces said on Sunday that they had an “iron will” and would “respond with energetic action” to “any threat to the integrity and peace” of the country.
Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez had said on Saturday that “a false flag attack” was planned “to attack ExxonMobil’s platform” off the Essequibo coast.
Such an attack was designed to “spark confusion and trigger an escalation of aggression”, Rodriguez added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of “consequences” for Venezuela should it attack its neighbour, during a visit to Guyana’s capital Georgetown in March.
Guyana has recently complained of a Venezuelan warship violating its territorial waters.
Rodriguez also blamed Venezuelan opposition leaders.
The country argues that the 1966 Geneva Agreement – signed before Guyana’s independence – is a basis for a settlement outside the purview of the International Court of Justice that would place its border on the river Essequibo, as it was in 1777.
Guyana says its frontier dating back to the British colonial period was settled in 1899 by a Paris court of arbitration, and has called on the International Court of Justice to ratify the decision.
