Disputed territory of Essequibo is larger than Greece, rich in minerals and gives access to part of the Atlantic boasting oil in commercial quantities
Venezuelans have approved a referendum called by the government of President Nicolás Maduro to claim sovereignty over an oil- and mineral-rich piece of neighbouring Guyana, the country’s electoral authority announced.
Few voters could be seen at voting centres, but the National Electoral Council claimed more than 10.5 million ballots were cast in the country of 20 million eligible voters.
Venezuela has long argued the territory, which comprises two-thirds of Guyana, was stolen when the border was drawn more than a century ago. But Guyana considers the referendum a step toward annexation, and the vote has its residents on edge.
Few voters could be seen at voting centres, but the National Electoral Council claimed more than 10.5 million ballots were cast in the country of 20 million eligible voters.
😬
What’s funny is they they didn’t even need to bullshit. Claiming Esequibo is a popular cause in Venezuela since Venezuela became independent. But I guess if you allow free elections once people might expect you to do it again
So Venezuela(probably just their government) voted to annex a country? That’s been working out so well for people these days.
allegedly voted so
Yea this is a significant point
It’s been disputed since the beginning. Far as I know, the British took over the territory, sent out a surveyor to figure out the borders, and the surveyor marked the map to take more land than was expected, and the British did British things & basically stole a shit ton of Venezuelan land. Venezuela has never been ok with it, and never really accepted the British-set borders.
So the dictator is probably in political heat, and needs to distract the remaining population from the rest of their problems.
Aww yes because imperialism is based if it’s done by “democratic vote”
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Venezuelans have approved a referendum called by the government of President Nicolás Maduro to claim sovereignty over an oil- and mineral-rich piece of neighbouring Guyana, the country’s electoral authority announced.
Venezuelan voters were asked whether they support establishing a state in the disputed territory, known as Essequibo, granting citizenship to current and future residents and rejecting the jurisdiction of the United Nations’ top court in settling the disagreement between the South American countries.
“It has been a total success for our country, for our democracy,” Maduro told supporters gathered in Caracas, the capital, after the results were announced, before highlighting the “very important level of participation of the people” in the referendum.
Still, before the 12-hour voting window was scheduled to end, the country’s top electoral authority official, Elvis Amoroso, announced polls would remain open for two additional hours because of what he described as “massive participation”.
The international court of justice (ICJ) on Friday ordered Venezuela not to take any action that would alter Guyana’s control over Essequibo, but the judges did not specifically ban officials from carrying out Sunday’s five-question referendum.
Although the practical and legal implications of the referendum remain unclear, in comments explaining Friday’s verdict, ICJ president Joan E Donoghue said statements from Venezuela’s government suggested it “is taking steps with a view toward acquiring control over and administering the territory in dispute”.
The original article contains 753 words, the summary contains 227 words. Saved 70%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is… not going to end well.
I feel like I’m living in Fahrenheit 451.
Aww yes because imperialism is based if it’s done by “democratic vote”
