(Tribune News Service) — In a move reflecting Caracas’ long-standing fears of foreign intervention, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López accused the United States of conspiring to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro to gain control over the resource-rich Essequibo region, a territory long disputed between Venezuela and Guyana.

Speaking during a televised address on Tuesday, Padrino López claimed that plotters aim to turn the Florida-sized Essequibo into a “spoil of war” for U.S. interests, using regime change as leverage.

“The threat constantly evolves, but one thing remains unchanged: the conspiracy to surrender our homeland,” he said during a graduation ceremony at the Bolivarian National Guard command. “They want to convert the Essequibo into a spoil of war — part of a plot to deliver our territory in exchange for regime change imposed by U.S. imperialism.”

Earlier this month, the Venezuelan military raised its alert level, citing an alleged U.S. plot to fabricate an incident involving an ExxonMobil offshore platform in contested waters, potentially justifying military intervention.

The Defense Ministry issued a statement accusing foreign actors of seeking to provoke conflict in the long-contested region, which has been administered by Guyana since an 1899 arbitration ruling — a decision Venezuela has never recognized.

On the eve of the ministry’s announcement, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez echoed these allegations, accusing the United States, the Guyanese government, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and Blackwater founder Erik Prince of conspiring to launch a military operation against Venezuela. Rodríguez claimed the plan included a “false flag” attack on the ExxonMobil platform.

“This plot is intended to stage an attack on an ExxonMobil platform operating in the yet-to-be-demarcated Essequibo waters, providing justification for hostile actions against our country,” Rodríguez said during a televised speech.

Tensions over the ExxonMobil site escalated in late February, when a Venezuelan warship entered the disputed area, triggering a warning from Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded firmly during a recent visit to Georgetown.

“It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they attacked Guyana or ExxonMobil,” Rubio said. “We have a large navy, and it can reach almost anywhere in the world. We are committed to Guyana.”

The Essequibo border dispute, which dates back more than 180 years, has significantly intensified in recent months. In December 2023, President Maduro held a controversial referendum that claimed 98% public support for asserting sovereignty over the region — a vote widely criticized for alleged fraud and lack of transparency.

Since then, Maduro has doubled down, declaring Essequibo a new Venezuelan state, bolstering military presence near the border, and planning regional elections to install a local governor — moves condemned by the international community.

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