Opposition leaders in Venezuela expressed their support on Tuesday for the Venezuelan Government's claim over Essequibo, an oil-rich region in neighbouring Guyana.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned of the consequences of any action or attack by Venezuela against Guyana.
“Essequibo belongs to Venezuela, and we will defend it. Venezuela’s rights over Essequibo are indisputable, based on solid historical and legal grounds,” said opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
However, they categorically rejected military action to resolve the issue.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s authoritarian government has made Essequibo a recurring theme in speeches, accusing the opposition of wanting to “transfer” the region to Guyana.
Venezuelan gunboats have often threatened fishing vessels and oil installations operating off the coasts of the region.
Ten years after the discovery of vast oil reserves, Guyana is poised to become the largest oil producer per capita in the world this year, surpassing Qatar and Kuwait.
