The Latin American Report # 483

The United States has threatened Venezuela through Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the consequences of a potential aggression against Guyana in the continuation of the dispute over the resource-rich Essequibo region. I always point out how interesting it is that at the end of the 19th century, Venezuela appealed to the United States—thinking on the Monroe Doctrine—for the already booming nation to intervene against Great Britain, which at that time was the de facto ruler of the region. I assert that the reason is due to the oil-rich nation in this case, which was blatantly stripped of its territory by an established power. After years of not paying attention to the dispute, considering that perhaps it was not so relevant amid the bonanza of the Chavista era—very much focused on acting as an economic bastion of an anti-imperialist Latin America—, Venezuela once again become interested in claiming sovereignty over the so-called Guayana Esequiba, which is equivalent to two thirds of the territory that is officially recognized as belonging to Guyana.

The situation has become tense at times, between the arrogant position of Georgetown—reproducer of the colonizer's logic—against debating the issue, and some moves from Chavismo—beyond the denunciation and the call to negotiate—which have worried the region. Regarding adopting a position of force, Guyana takes advantage of the state of relations between Washington and Caracas and the interests of Houston-based ExxonMobil in the 11 billion barrels of oil-estimated Stabroek Block. “It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil or anything... It would be a very bad day, a very bad week for them, and it would not end well for them. I'm not going to get into details of what we'll do. We're not big on those kinds of threats,” said a decaffeinated but overbearing Rubio in the Guyanese capital. In truth, the chances of Venezuela making an armed incursion into the Essequibo zone have never been great, and it would be unbecoming of Chavismo's preaching, however much it may be accused of wrongdoing, sometimes justly.

“Venezuela will not surrender in the face of intimidation, nor will it cede before the extortion of those who think incendiary speeches will twist history,” the Venezuelan Foreign Minister said via Telegram. Yvan Gil also stressed that his country will not allow “foreign interests to rewrite the reality of our Esequibo”. Maduro also verbally castigated the Cuban-origin politician. Yesterday, Thursday, the U.S. Navy's Normandy conducted joint exercises with the Guyana Defence Force's Shahoud. “The regional threats are based on illegitimate territorial claims by a narco-trafficking regime,” Rubio said at a joint news conference with Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali. “And I want to be frank, there will be consequences for adventurism. There will be consequences for aggressive actions.” He is either ignorant or a compulsive liar when it comes to labeling Venezuela's claims—regardless of who is in power—over the Essequibo as illegitimate. Ali was very transparent in welcoming the also former Florida Senator's “reassurance of the U.S. in ensuring the safeguard of our territorial integrity and sovereignty”. Rubio was in Jamaica on Wednesday, and after Guyana visited Paramaribo, the capital of emerging Suriname, with China as a direct target of all his Caribbean effort.

_{The U.S. Navy cruiser USS Normandy (source of the image).}

The fast roundup

This is from Reuters: “U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday announced new 25% tariffs on potential buyers of Venezuelan crude, days after U.S. sanctions targeting China's imports from Iran. The order added fresh uncertainty to buyers and saw trade of Venezuelan oil to top buyer China stall. Elsewhere, sources said India's Reliance Industries, operator of the world's biggest refining complex, will halt Venezuelan oil imports.”

Noem's Latam tour. Interesting bet on Colombia even though a force close to the left is governing the Casa de Nariño for the first time in the country's history. Let's remember the row over the issue of deportations. Next stop: Sheinbaum's Mexico.

Brazil looks to Asia on trade.