By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US voiced support for a "peaceful resolution" Thursday after Venezuela threatened to annex some three-quarters of its eastern neighbor Guyana in what marks the most significant modern territorial disputes in Latin America.
Tensions between Georgetown and Caracas have soared since Venezuela staged a nationwide referendum on annexing Guyana's Essequibo region. Some 96% of voters supported the nonbinding resolution on Sunday.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the country’s state-owned companies on Tuesday to immediately grant operating licenses for the exploration and exploitation of oil, gas and mines in Essequibo, the potentially fossil fuel-rich region that has been internationally-recognized as part of Guyana since 1899.
"We obviously support the peaceful resolution of the border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. And of course, we absolutely stand by our unwavering support for Guyana's sovereignty," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. "We don't want to see this come to blows. There's no reason for it to."
Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced Washington's "unwavering support for Guyana’s sovereignty" during a call with President Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Wednesday. During that call, Blinken also voiced support for a peaceful resolution to the row, and urged the parties to respect the 1899 international pact that delineated the border.
The International Court of Justice warned Venezuela Dec. 1 not to take any action that would affect Essequibo's status quo.