While in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) thousands of World leaders and Royals are pushing to make the planet more sustainable, in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduró has just announced the exploration and exploitation of oil, gas and mines in the Essequibo Region which he has declared belongs to Venezuela.
He has proposed a law to create a new Venezuelan state in Essequibo called ‘Guayana Esequiba’ and as such a bill will be put before the National Assembly, controlled by his party to turn the region into a new state.
According to information posted to the President’s Facebook page, he has instructed a number of measures to “execute” Venezuela’s claim on the region which include:
- deepen the ties of dialogue to listen to all of Venezuela with the creation of the “High Commission for the Defense of the Guayana Esquiba made up of the Federal Government Council, the State Council, the National Defense Council, the political and religious sectors of the country.
- immediately activate the free and democratic debate of the National Assembly for the approval of the “Organic Law in defense of La Guayana Esequiba” and the implementation of the 5 Yeses in each of its parts.
- the creation of the Comprehensive Defense Zone of the Guayana Esequiba
- the creation of the PDVSA Esequibo and CVG Esequibo Division, in order to proceed with oil and mines exploration and exploitation in Guyana Esequiba.
- activate a plan of human and social care for the population of Guayana Esequiba
- proposal of a Special Law to establish a rule that prohibits the hiring of companies operating at sea for delimitation and as far as the environmental issue.
- Maduro announced the appointment of a governor of Guyana’s Essequibo Region, Major General Alexis Rodríguez Cabello on Tuesday, as he introduced a new map of Venezuela which includes the region currently governed under the Guyana government.
“I ordered to immediately publish and take to all schools, lyceums, municipal councils, public establishments, universities and in all homes of the country the new Map of Venezuela with our Guayana Esequiba,” he said.
Maduro’s move follows a controversial referendum held on Sunday, where voters supported the creation of a new state in Essequibo.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali said Maduro was showing “blatant disregard” for the International Court of Justice ruling, which asked that it not take an action to alter the current arrangement which gives ownership of Essequibo to Guyana.
“Guyana views this as an imminent threat to its territorial integrity and will intensify precautionary measures to safeguard its territory. We will not allow our territory to be violated, nor the development of our country to be stymied by this desperate threat,” he announced.
Reports on the referendum indicated that more than 95% of voters approved establishing a new Venezuelan state in the region. While only two million people voted – making up roughly 10% of eligible voters – Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo enjoys broad support in the country, the BBC said.