Venezuela’s armed forces were placed on high alert over the weekend as Caracas accused foreign actors of plotting a false flag attack targeting ExxonMobil’s operations in the oil-rich Essequibo region—an area administered by Guyana but long claimed by Venezuela.
The 160,000-square-kilometre maritime zone, home to some of Exxon’s largest offshore discoveries since 2015, has become the latest flashpoint in a decades-old territorial dispute. Venezuela’s military command vowed to respond with “vigorous action” to any perceived threat, asserting its “iron will” to defend national sovereignty.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez alleged on Saturday that a “false flag operation” was being prepared to frame Venezuela for an unprovoked assault on Exxon’s infrastructure. She also accused U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Blackwater founder Erik Prince of involvement in the purported scheme—though no evidence was provided to substantiate the claims.
Tensions flared further after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a March 27 visit to Georgetown, warned Venezuela that any aggression toward Guyana would “carry consequences.” His remarks followed Guyana’s protest over the recent incursion of a Venezuelan naval vessel into its waters.
At the heart of the standoff is the Essequibo region, a colonial-era territorial dispute that has gained renewed urgency since ExxonMobil’s discovery of massive oil reserves. Venezuela contends the 1966 Geneva Agreement allows for bilateral settlement of the boundary issue, while Guyana points to the 1899 arbitral ruling that established its borders. In 2023, Caracas held a referendum on annexing the area and formally passed legislation in 2024 to designate Essequibo as Venezuela’s 24th state.
With ExxonMobil pressing ahead in Guyana’s offshore blocks and Venezuela escalating its rhetoric, the dispute now carries broader geopolitical implications—raising alarms about energy security, regional stability, and foreign investor risk.
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