Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Venezuela’s leader tells army officers about Guyana’s “aggression”
– again threatens to address National Assembly
In the face of growing condemnation and increasing internal pressure over the state of his country’s economy, Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, is threatening to address his National Assembly tomorrow to talk about aggressions from Guyana.
He restated his demands for US-owned ExxonMobil to stop its oil exploration activities.
Venezuela Leader, Nicolas Maduro
According to El Universal online report yesterday, it would be the third time that Maduro is threatening to ask for support from the National Assembly.
His statements would also come at a time when CARICOM leaders are meeting in Barbados, and Venezuela’s questionable claims of Guyana’s lands and seas are being discussed.
On Thursday, President David Granger, in his inaugural address to the CARICOM’ Heads of Government Summit called for an immediate condemnation by the regional body and for Venezuela to withdraw a recent decree which included maps that show lands and water of Guyana as belonging to them. The waters claimed included an area that is licensed by Guyana to ExxonMobil to explore for oil.
The US company recently announced that it has found significant evidence of oil and is now moving more resources down to the area.
Maduro, yesterday addressing the promotions of top officers of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), said that he will be asking for a cessation of “provocations and insults” by ExxonMobil Guyana.
Maduro was due to visit Barbados on Friday for a series of meetings with CARICOM leaders but instead sent his Vice President, Jorge Arreza.
President Granger had expressed hope to meet with him to help diffuse the tensions. Maduro was quoted as saying that there are new forms of conspiracy against Venezuela.
He made it clear that Venezuela was stripped in 1835, 1840, 1899 of its Essequibo territory from the British empire, with provocations and insults now from ExxonMobil.
“On Monday I will be asking national unity, “said Maduro.
On Friday, United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, said he will be appointing a mission to Guyana to assess the situation.
Trinidad’s leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has promised Guyana help in its energy needs and oil exploration efforts.
Venezuela’s claims on Guyana and its internal economic turmoil have been placing it at increasing odds with not only its neighbours in the region, but with the US, which has been highly critical of the affairs of the Maduro-led Government.
Guyana has a major rice-for-oil deal with Venezuela.
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