Ukraine supports Guyana's territorial integrity – MFA
According to Ukrinform, the ministry made the statement in a post on the social media platform X.
"Ukraine supports Guyana's territorial integrity and considers the Venezuelan regime's attempts to hold sham elections in the Essequibo region illegal," the ministry stated.
The ministry added that the Venezuelan dictator's destructive steps are a direct consequence of his ally Russia wrecking international order.
According to France24, Venezuela held elections for the first time on Sunday to appoint officials in the Essequibo region, which is internationally recognized as part of Guyana. The vote was conducted in a special district created by Caracas within Venezuela's Bolívar state, near the Guyanese border, with 21,403 registered voters. Notably, no polling stations were set up on the territory of Essequibo itself.
Neil Villamizar, the candidate for Maduro's ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, received 4,720 votes, making him the first "governor of Essequibo." However, the position is purely symbolic and carries no real authority over the region. Additionally, Essequibo also elected "eight deputies and regional councilors."
President Nicolas Maduro's party also claimed victory nationwide in both parliamentary and regional elections, which were boycotted by the opposition.
On March 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Venezuela would face consequences if it resorted to force over the resource-rich territories controlled by Guyana.
In recent years, Venezuela has stepped up its claims to the Essequibo region, which comprises around two-thirds of Guyana's territory and includes oil fields exploited by U.S. company ExxonMobil. The area is also rich in gold, bauxite, diamonds, uranium, manganese, and other valuable minerals.
