Venezuela Coast Guard Crosses into Guyana’s Territory

The Essequibo Region has been a heated territory between Venezuela and Guyana. (Wikimedia Commons)

A Venezuelan armed vessel entered Guyana’s waters where an ExxonMobil oil factory operates on March 1, spiking a dispute between the two nations. Guyanese President Irfaan Ali has condemned the incursion and issued a military response, deploying the Coast Guard.    

The Maritime Executive states that maritime boundaries are recognized under international law and that Ali referred to this as a “matter of grave concern.” Ali continued on, saying, “I assure you that my government is not acting precipitously; we are addressing this situation with seriousness and responsibility.”

In response, Venezuela refused Ali’s allegations, claiming the patrol ship was in “disputed international waters.” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro went further, accusing Ali of instigating military conflict, labeling him as “Zelensky of the Caribbean.”

The conflict sparked earlier in the territory when armed men from the Venezuelan side attacked and wounded six of Guyana's soldiers in February. Maduro also criticized Guyana for letting U.S.-owned ExxonMobil operate in disputed territories.  

“This is absolutely illegal," Maduro said in an interview with VTV on March 6. “We reject and condemn this, and we will take all steps to stop the illegal activities of the Guyanese government with ExxonMobil.”    

The Maritime Executive notes that the oil factory is located in the Essequibo region, making up more than ⅔ of Guyana, where its territorial claims have been long contested between the two countries. Venezuela claims that it was robbed of the region in 1899 when Guyana was a British colony. The region has been granted to Guyana since its independence in 1966. 

Tensions have escalated since the discovery of oil in Western Guyana in 2015. Venezuela’s national referendum in 2023, which called for annexation of the Essequibo region. The Maritime Executive observed that the International Call for Justice responded with an order to restrict Venezuelan military action until final court decision, which may take years.  

However, Venezuela passed a law to create a new state in the region in 2024, with elections expected to be held in May 2025. Shortly after the March 1 incursion, Guyana requested the ICJ to stop the elections from happening.  

Meanwhile, countries have spoken out against the Venezuelan encroachment, including the United States, France, and the Commonwealth. Washington warned that “further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime.”  

The United States has revoked General License 41, preventing Chevron, a U.S. oil company, from extracting and exporting oil from Venezuela, states the Oil and Gas Journal. The issue came in response to the country’s incompetence in transporting deported criminals. Still, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the recent incursion calls for a tougher policy.  

“Maduro’s assertiveness might be intended to demonstrate that should there be a shift in U.S. policy to a harder stance, that he can sow regional instability that impacts the United States,” the report said.

These statements arise from concerns about Venezuela’s increasing presence in the global oil sector. The FPSO vessels are responsible for producing crude oil. Documented Investopedia. The addition of a fourth to the region in February will increase production to 940,000 barrels per day by late 2025, compared to 616,000 in 2024. If taken under Venezuela, the vessels can significantly expand the country’s oil supply.