Essequibo, rich in oil and natural resources, is administered by Commonwealth member Guyana but is claimed by Venezuela. The foreign ministers of Venezuela and Guyana are due to meet on Thursday in Brasilia.
The foreign ministers of Venezuela and Guyana are to meet Thursday in Brasilia amid a crisis linked to the dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region, the Brazilian government announced. This high-level meeting comes a few weeks after tensions between the two neighbors reignited following the arrival of a British warship in Guyana and the reaction of Caracas, which organized military exercises.
Brazil shares nearly 800 kilometers of border with Essequibo
“The Brazilian government appreciates the commitment of Guyana and Venezuela to the ongoing dialogue process (…) and highlights the spirit of integration that drives the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean with a view to consolidating the region as a zone of peace, cooperation and solidarity,” the Foreign Ministry said in a note announcing the meeting. A source from the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously confirmed to AFP “the meeting on the Essequibo” between Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil and his Guyanese counterpart Hugh Hilton Todd.
Mauro Vieira, foreign minister of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who attempted mediation between Caracas and Georgetown in order to avoid a possible armed conflict in the region, will participate in the meeting, which will be held at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasília. Also present will be the governments of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which temporarily chairs the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and Dominica, which leads the Caribbean Community (Caricom), as well as representatives of the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Brazil, which shares nearly 800 kilometers of border with Essequibo, has mobilized soldiers to the region and a top Lula adviser participated in a meeting between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his Guyanese counterpart Irfaan Ali on December 14 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The two presidents shook hands in front of the cameras before and after the meeting and agreed not to use force and to continue diplomatic efforts, but stuck to their positions. Venezuela claims sovereignty over the 160,000 km² of Essequibo, a territory administered by Guyana, where significant oil deposits were discovered in 2015 and where Georgetown issued oil licenses during the last quarter of 2023.