Guyana Accuses Venezuela of Opening Fire on Election Officials in Disputed Essequibo Region

Boat Escort Comes Under Fire

Guyana’s police and defence forces reported that a patrol boat escorting election officials and ballot boxes came under fire from the Venezuelan shore in the contested Essequibo region on Sunday, ahead of Monday’s general election. The patrol immediately returned fire, and no injuries were reported.

Historical Dispute Over Essequibo

Essequibo covers 159,500 sq km and has been administered by Guyana for over a century. Venezuela claims the oil-rich territory and held a December 2023 referendum in which over 95% of voters backed its claim. Guyana has taken the dispute to the International Court of Justice, but Venezuela rejects its jurisdiction.

Guyanese Head to the Polls

Voters will elect a president and parliament. Incumbent President Irfaan Ali of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) seeks a second term and leads in pre-election polls, buoyed by revenue from recent offshore oil discoveries. His main challengers are Aubrey Norton of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition and billionaire Azruddin Mohamed, who aims to disrupt the two-party system.

Economic Boom and Political Divisions

Since 2020, Guyana’s GDP has nearly quintupled, allowing the government to invest in infrastructure and offer free state university education. Critics argue oil revenues have disproportionately benefited groups aligned with the PPP/C, an accusation President Ali denies. The country’s politics remain split along ethnic lines, with Indo-Guyanese largely supporting the PPP/C and Afro-Guyanese backing the PNC-led coalition.

Shots fired from Venezuelan territory on a boat carrying election staff escalate tensions in the disputed Essequibo just before Guyana’s vote.

This topic was reported by BBC.

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