Guyana today expressed concern over the Venezuelan military buildup near the border of the disputed oil-rich Essequibo region.
Venezuela has long laid claim to Essequibo, which makes up about two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, but has stepped up its rhetoric after its neighbour began issuing licences to oil companies to operate in the region.
The two countries pledged last year not to use force to settle the border dispute, which is currently before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
“There are some inconsistencies between Venezuela’s diplomatic and military posture,” according to Guyana’s Foreign Minister Hugh Todd.
He said this shortly after a report released Friday by the the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, which included satellite images showing the movement of troops and military equipment closer to the border between the two countries.
The report confirmed that Venezuela was expanding a military base in the border region.
In December, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called a referendum that overwhelmingly approved the creation of a Venezuelan province in Essequibo, but the tensions soon subsided.
The turmoil between the two countries escalated again after US oil giant ExxonMobil announced on Tuesday it would drill two exploratory wells in the disputed waters.
