GEORGETOWN, Guyana — President Irfaan Ali of Guyana condemned the intrusion by an armed Venezuelan naval vessel into the disputed waters rich in offshore oil, under development by ExxonMobil. In a televised statement, Ali indicated that Guyana was rapidly informing its international allies, including the United States, and had summoned Venezuela’s ambassador in Georgetown to deliver an official protest.
He emphasized that “this incursion is a matter of grave concern,” stressing that Guyana’s maritime boundaries are recognized internationally. He called this a significant issue affecting the nation’s maritime territory and stated firmly that threats to territorial integrity would not be accepted.
However, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez dismissed Ali’s claims, labeling ExxonMobil’s oil operations as “illegal.” She stated that Guyana’s president was spreading “bald-faced lies.” In support of Ali’s stance, the U.S. State Department warned that any further provocation would lead to consequences for the Maduro regime.
The issue centers around a long-standing conflict over land and maritime borders. President Ali noted that the Venezuelan naval vessel approached close to several large vessels used for storing oil extracted from oilfields managed by ExxonMobil and its partners Hess Corp and CNOOC of China in the Stabroek Block, which holds an estimated 11 billion barrels of oil. He said numerous aircraft and marine vessels were mobilized to support the fleet operating in the block.
This development occurred shortly after a prior incident involving alleged Venezuelan pirates who engaged in a shootout with a Guyanese military patrol on the Cuyuni River, resulting in injuries to six soldiers. Venezuela had reignited a territorial dispute with Guyana since ExxonMobil’s major oil discovery in 2015, taking steps to claim the Essequibo region, which comprises around two-thirds of Guyana’s land area.
The longstanding tension between the two neighboring countries revolves around land and maritime borders. Venezuela disputes an 1890s boundary settlement, alleging it was unfairly deprived of the oil-rich region. The territory was under British administration for over a century and has been governed by Guyana since it achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966.
