The Venezuela Guyana Conflict

With all that is going on internationally, it may be easy to overlook the potential conflict brewing in South America between Venezuela and Guyana. In December of 2023 Venezuela held a nationwide referendum to determine whether or not the country would annex part of it's neighbor, Guyana. The land in question is known as the Essequibo, an area of land about the size of Florida. The Essequibo is a rich in minerals as well as oil reserves, and it also is the majority of Guyana's land mass. The President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro has made this claim to the Essequibo and has received push back from international governing bodies. Additionally, Guyana President Irfaan Ali has stated that he will not allow Venezuela to annex any of his country. Allies of Guyana have been outspoken, with the United Kingdom sending a British warship to the region. There has been negotiations between Ali and Maduro, but nothing significant has come from them.