Referendum Day over there

Dec 03, 2023 Editorial

Kaieteur News – The Nicholas Maduro inspired referendum is about to get, or already, underway in Venezuela on this Sunday. Five questions put to that country’s citizens that have the severest of implications for this country. The Venezuelan response to the last question could set the stage for unleashing circumstances that lead to lasting damage to both Guyana and Venezuela. May wiser and sober heads prevail in both places.

In its simplest construction, question five of the Venezuelan referendum is about providing the grounds to seize and settle the rich Essequibo lands and its related sea lanes. Attempts may be made to gloss over this primary objective, long the biggest bone of contention between Guyana and Venezuela, but annexation of Essequibo is the paramount attraction in the visions of many Venezuelans, and the ambitions of President Maduro and others in his circle. There is a high probability that the referendum, with all eyes on that fateful final question five, will garner an enormous number of affirmative votes. People from anywhere in the world, who consider themselves patriots would be galvanized to see things one way only, and vote accordingly. Essequibo is Ours, go and get it, make it happen.

What does Nicolas Maduro do then? Having pushed his country to this shaky brink, what options are left for him? Is he in position to deescalate, and at what political cost to himself? Can he extricate himself from the snare in which he has trapped himself, and do so in one piece? To advance across the borders could lead to an international inferno consuming his country and its people. For him to standstill may not be an option still open to him.

Whatever the driving forces that compelled Maduro to this appealing, but extremely dangerous, referendum, he has left himself in a no man’s land. There are landmines strewn all over, some of which are hidden. His own people could transform into his worst enemies, but he has not survived so long by being halting or unsteady on his feet. All of his assets will have to be humming in unison, and he had better have eyes in the back of his head.

In front of him, Maduro has Guyana, and it is not the pushover that he thought was there to be run over. Though it is our position at this paper that crossing the border by Venezuela is the last of last choices, it should not be lost on President Maduro from what he is hearing and seeing from the international community. One miscalculation, any misstep, and he makes himself into mincemeat. The diplomatic cables that he is absorbing from his ambassadors across the region, and many other places, should persuade him that any belligerent post referendum movement on Venezuela’s part dooms him into the doghouse of history. He would be remembered as the man who took a huge gamble, and who did his country and its full restoration into the fraternity of civilized nations a grave injustice.

For Guyana has assembled its assets and arranged its friends. They are big, they are bad, and they are still of a bad disposition to Venezuela. Guyanese are best advised not to let down their guard, to be forever watchful, as any and all developments should be anticipated. Guyanese have the biggest stake in this Venezuelan referendum, so the erratic and unexpected should never be far from consideration. Further, there has to be the willingness to learn some lessons from, and adapt to, this tense experience. It can never be comforting to know, and then to be a spectator in watching a powerful and greedy neighbour put one’s house on the chopping block. It is unhealthy to live next to one that is constantly of a mind to do so.

Venezuela covets the treasures of this country, which have caused so much harsh contentiousness inside of Guyana. We had better come to our senses and get the best from our wealth. If not, there are neighbours who will move and fill the space that is left by us. What Guyana has is worth fighting for, and all Guyanese must feel that they belong, they own, and for that they must be willing to fight.

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Editorial, Guyana, Nicholas Maduro, referendum, Venezuela

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