Rubio warns Venezuela in escalating Guyana oil conflict
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Venezuela against attacking Guyana, which prompted a sharp reaction from Nicolás Maduro. He emphasized that no one can threaten Venezuela.
What you need to know
- Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, expressed concern about potential Venezuelan actions against Guyana, particularly in the context of ExxonMobil's infrastructure.
- Nicolás Maduro sharply criticized Rubio, calling him an "imbecile" and emphasizing that no one can threaten Venezuela.
- Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana have escalated following accusations of the Venezuelan coast guard intruding into Guyanese waters.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his concerns on Thursday regarding potential Venezuelan actions against Guyana. During a visit to Guyana, Rubio stressed that an attack on this country or on the infrastructure of the American corporation ExxonMobil, which extracts oil there, could have serious consequences for Nicolás Maduro's regime.
Rubio did not provide details about the potential U.S. response but noted that such an attack would mean "a very bad day, a very bad week for them, and it would not end well for them." Venezuela, under Maduro's rule since 2013, is accused by the opposition of rigging the presidential elections.
The President of Venezuela sharply responded to Rubio
In response to Rubio's words, Nicolás Maduro sharply criticized the U.S. Secretary of State on national television. "There goes the imbecile Marco Rubio threatening Venezuela from Guyana. No one threatens Venezuela because this is the homeland of the liberators," said Maduro.
Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana increased at the beginning of March when the Guyanese government accused the Venezuelan coast guard of intruding into Guyanese waters and attempting to disrupt oil extraction. Venezuela considers the disputed Essequibo territory its own and plans to establish a new state there and hold gubernatorial elections in May.
