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Caracas blames U.S. Southern Command for “propaganda” as both sides dig in over oil-rich border region
Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana have escalated sharply following accusations from Caracas that a reported attack on Guyanese troops along the Cuyuní River was a “false flag operation.”
Venezuela’s government claims the incident was deliberately staged by the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) to cast themselves as victims and inflame the long-running dispute over the resource-rich Essequibo region.
In a combative statement released Friday, the government of President Nicolás Maduro alleged that the U.S. Southern Command was behind the operation, describing it as part of a broader campaign of “transnational plundering” of the disputed territory. Venezuela continues to assert sovereignty over the Essequibo, a vast area administered by Guyana but claimed by Caracas as its 24th state.
“All records, reports, and indications gathered by our Bolivarian National Armed Forces clearly demonstrate that such information is nothing more than part of a new false flag operation, orchestrated to victimize the Government of Guyana and manufacture artificial tensions,” read a statement from Venezuela’s military high command.
The accusation comes just days after Guyanese officials reported hostile actions along the Cuyuní River, near the de facto boundary between the two countries. Brigadier Omar Khan of the GDF announced that Guyana would take steps to prevent Venezuelan citizens from voting in the Essequibo during elections scheduled by Caracas for May 25—a move Guyana deems illegal and provocative.
Caracas insists the election is legitimate, based on a controversial 2023 referendum in which Venezuelan voters supported asserting sovereignty over the Essequibo. “The Sun of Venezuela is born in the Essequibo,” the Venezuelan government’s statement declared, echoing nationalist slogans used to rally support.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil added that Venezuela “categorically rejects” the GDF’s allegations of aggression, reaffirming the country’s “commitment to peace, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.” He accused Guyana of manufacturing provocations to serve foreign interests and distract from its own militarization of the border.
The Essequibo region, covering nearly 160,000 square kilometers, has become increasingly valuable due to significant oil discoveries offshore. Guyana, backed diplomatically by the United States and its allies, has continued to develop the area with foreign investment, while Venezuela has pursued legal and political avenues to assert its claim, including convening domestic votes and issuing maps that incorporate the disputed territory.
Diplomatic observers warn that both sides are edging closer to open confrontation, particularly as rhetoric intensifies and military forces are increasingly visible near the frontier.
No independent verification of the reported attack has yet emerged, and both nations continue to trade barbed statements. The international community has urged restraint, but with elections looming and oil revenues at stake, the dispute over the Essequibo appears set to enter an even more volatile phase.
Source: MercoPress.
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