Venezuela & Guyana – A Brand New Map is Born!

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has recently issued an executive order for the creation of a new state in Venezuela and a new map, which will include land from adjacent Guyana. This move is being seen as extremely controversial in the region as Venezuela and Guyana participate in a longstanding border dispute. According to Maduro’s executive order, the new state, called “Delta Amacuro,” will incorporate land from Guyana’s western Essequibo region into the Venezuelan state and create a border with Brazil. While the exact terrain and borderlines are still up for negotiation, reports suggest that the new state and map will come into effect in 2021. Venezuela claims to have long-standing sovereignty over the Essequibo region, though Guyana has contested these claims ever since it declared its independence in 1966. Consequently, Guyana’s government has expressed its frustration with Maduro’s move, calling it a “flagrant violation of international law.” Further, the border dispute has caused anxiety over the rights of potentially thousands of citizens living on the contested land. As such, Guyana and the United Nations have called on Venezuela to immediately settle the dispute through the International Court of Justice. Despite the unease in the region, the announcement of the new Venezuelan state has been celebrated domestically, with Maduro declaring it “an act of joy and equality.” Nevertheless, a resolution to the dispute is still unknown, leaving Venezuelans and Guyanese alike in wait as to the further development of this geopolitical issue.