The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvaurged his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, by telephone this Saturday, December 9, not to take “unilateral measures” that would intensify the border dispute that he maintains with neighboring Guyana, his office reported.
(You can read: Maduro continues to stoke the fire in the dispute with Guyana over the Essequibo)
“Lula emphasized the importance of avoiding unilateral measures that could aggravate the situation” in the disputed region of Essequibo, an area extremely rich in oil, the Brazilian Presidency said in a statement, adding that the president had expressed the “growing concern” of the South American countries and a call for dialogue to resolve the dispute.
Lula was reported to have expressed to his Venezuelan counterpart the “growing concern” of eight South American countries, citing a joint statement on Thursday agreed on the sidelines of a Mercosur summit in Rio de Janeiro – signed by Argentina,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay – which requested that “both parties negotiate to seek a peaceful solution” to the territorial dispute.
Lula reiterated that call in his conversation with Maduro, proposing that the head of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) contact both parties to begin talks on the dispute, according to his office.
According to the note, Lula told the Venezuelan leader: “We are a region of peace.”
(You may be interested in: Essequibo: South America asks Venezuela and Guyana to avoid ‘unilateral actions’)
Tension over Essequibo has soared since Maduro’s government held a controversial referendum last Sunday in which 95% of voters supported declaring Venezuela the rightful owner of the region, according to official results.
Due to tensions, Brazil decided days ago to reinforce its military presence on the border with Venezuela and Guyana. The United States announced military air exercises in Guyana on Thursday.
Maduro continues to fuel the fire in the crisis
Despite President Lula’s call, Nicolás Maduro continues to ‘heat up’ the dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the territory of Essequibo, which Caracas wants to annex. In the last few hours, the Venezuelan president in his X account issued a strong warning by referring to the issue again.
“Guyana and ExxonMobil will have to sit down and talk with us, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. From the heart and soul, we want Peace and understanding. By all means, everything! “Let the world listen to it, with the Geneva Agreement, Everything!” said Maduro.
Guyana and ExxonMobil will have to sit down and talk with us, the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. From the heart and soul, we want Peace and understanding. By all means, everything! Let the world listen to it, with the Geneva Agreement, Everything!
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) December 9, 2023
It should be remembered that the recent discovery of vast oil deposits was the trigger that revived the old territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana.
ExxonMobil is one of the multinationals that has licenses to exploit crude oil in waters claimed by both countries.
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*With information from EFE
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