The recent decree by President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela laying claim to Guyana’s territory is setting the stage for a scenario that played out in the 1990s.
In 1990 Iraq accused Kuwait of using advanced drilling techniques” to exploit oil from a shared oil field. Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein decided to claim portions of Kuwait and justified its invasion by claiming that Kuwait was a natural part of Iraq carved off as a result of British imperialism.
Iraq’s move initiated a series of UN Security Council resolutions beginning with Resolution 660 on August 3rd, 1990, that condemned the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and demanded that Iraq unconditionally withdraw all forces deployed in Kuwait.
Iraq’s invasion began on August 2, 1990 and Kuwait was officially liberated by U.S. led coalition forces on February 25, 1991 after only two months of military engagement.
The leadership of Venezuela must do everything within its powers to preserve the peace and keep its citizens safe; engaging in saber-rattling creates an unstable world. The citizens of Venezuela have a cultural and historical bond with Guyanese that goes back before the “discovery” of “the new world”, we are entitled to live harmoniously with our neighbors and must hold leadership accountable for acrimonious relationships created by political brinksmanship.
After over a century of unilateral hegemony by successive Venezuelan leadership it is time to put to rest the spurious claim of Venezuelan sovereignty over any of Guyana’s territory. Military confrontation only swells the pockets of those building arms. We as citizens of the world need to focus on substituting arms and armies for industrial machines and prosperous nations.
The UN General Assembly resolution that solidifies the cessation forever of Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territory, would be cherished world over.
President Maduro, you and Venezuela are at the crossroads, you can help to lead South America to the greatest economic recovery in history or become a victim of history’s Déjà vu.
