U.S. to Hold Military Exercises in South American Country At Direct Threat of Invasion from Venezuela

Amid escalating tensions with neighboring Venezuela over a disputed oil-rich region, the United States announced on Thursday that it will conduct joint military operations in Guyana, including conducting sorties.

A recent escalation in tensions has occurred along the frontier between Guyana and Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region, which Venezuela has declared its intention to seize and has been under control of for over a century.

Exploration for oil by ExxonMobil in 2015 has exacerbated the protracted dispute over Essequibo, which comprises approximately two-thirds of Guyanese territory.

Following a Sunday referendum that yielded resounding support regarding the fate of Essequibo, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has increased the pressure in recent days.

Twelve-five thousand Guyanaese constituents reside in Essequibo.

An ongoing legal dispute pertains to the delineation of the region’s borders before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.