Guyana says Venezuelan claim is threat to its survival

[Zorro]

Source: AFP

Guyana's territorial dispute with Venezuela represents a threat to its very survival, President David Granger warned Friday at a meeting in Washington.

After a recent offshore oil find, a border dispute between the two countries has escalated, with Venezuela laying claim to a huge swathe of Guyana's territory.

"Guyana at the moment is facing a challenge to its survival by a larger state," Granger told guests at the William Perry Center of Hemispheric Defense Studies.

Caracas has laid claim to waters off the Essequibo region that would include the oil find. The region straddles the two countries and Venezuela disputes the settlement of the border drawn through the 215,000 square kilometer (83,000 square mile) region.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/guyana-says-venezuelan-claim-threat-survival-231137954.html

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Wouldn't be surprised if Maduro becomes more aggressive toward Guyana. It would rally popular support in Venezuela.

[MyNameGoesHere]

1. Guyana isn't at all innocent in this

lot of history on this area, with of course the USA getting involved and mucking it up even more.

[Archae]

2. Exactly how?

Or is this yet another "Maduro can do no wrong" post?

[MyNameGoesHere]

3. Maduro can do plenty wrong

I am looking at my post and thankfully you wrote that, I didn't. The history of this goes back many years. It is another example of western powers playing global chess. You could look up the historical issues surrounding this or you could accuse me of being a Maduro fan. I assume you will pick the easiest of the two.

[Igel]

4. It would be, and Maduro is likely to become more aggressive.

Failing states rely on jingoism to buttress support for failing leaders and regimes.

Ultimately, the anti-imperialist Maduro, like Chavez and Bolivar (and even some Mexican activists), rely on the history of colonialism and imperialism to justify their claims.

"It was part of the territory claimed by Spain, with borders established by Spain. As heirs to that authority, we fully support colonialism and imperialism and insist that those prerogatives be respected."

Oddly, Bolivar seemed to claim those possessions even before Venezuela became independent. He was a petty imperialist himself, just a populist one.

[hack89]

5. Maduro has found his Malvinas. Nt

[iandhr]

6. That didn't end up working so well for Argentina now