Reports from the National Electoral Council of Venezuela as well as the international press indicate that Venezuelans on Sunday, December 3 approved a Maduro-backed referendum on Venezuela’s longstanding claim to the Essequibo region of Guyana.
Despite reports of low voter turnout across the country from several international media outlets who were on the ground in Venezuela; the National Electoral Council of Venezuela claims to have counted some 10.5 million votes.
President Maduro addressing supporters after the announcement of the results of the referendum stated “It has been a total success for our country.”
While it is unclear what steps Venezuela will now take in light of the results of the referendum: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday, December 1, ordered Venezuela to “refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over that area.
President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) one day after the results of the referendum contended that Guyana is not taking the narratives coming out of Venezuela for granted.
Guyana continues to maintain its longstanding position that the 1899 Arbitral Award which outlined the boundaries of the two countries and which Venezuela initially agreed to is binding. Political analysts have opined that the referendum backed by Maduro is an attempt to muster patriotism among the Venezuelan people. garner support for Maduro in the upcoming elections and create a distraction from the harsh economic conditions faced by many Venezuelans