Venezuela Claims Sovereignty Over Guyana's Essequibo Region Amid Controversial Referendum

Low voter turnout and international legal challenges cast doubt on the legitimacy of the vote.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory in a referendum on claiming sovereignty over the oil-rich Essequibo region of neighboring Guyana, despite reports of low voter turnout.
The Venezuelan National Electoral Council reported participation of about 10.5 million voters, just over half of the 20.6 million eligible, but observers reported empty polling stations and lack of long lines typical of Venezuelan elections.
Guyana has denounced the referendum as a pretext for Venezuela to annex the land and has appealed to the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Venezuela not to take any action to change the status quo until it can rule on the competing claims.
Analysts suggest the low turnout indicates a loss of influence for Maduro's government and could have significant implications for the presidential elections scheduled for 2024.
Essequibo, larger than Greece and rich in minerals, accounts for two-thirds of Guyana and includes an area of the Atlantic where ExxonMobil discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2015.