Venezuela Conducts Controversial Election in Disputed Essequibo Region

Venezuela is set to hold elections on Sunday for governor and legislative representatives in Essequibo, a sparsely populated and oil-rich territory.

The complication: Essequibo is internationally acknowledged as part of Guyana, Venezuela’s neighbor.

The majority of countries, along with the approximately 125,000 residents of Essequibo, agree that the area belongs to Guyana, a nation with around 800,000 people, rather than Venezuela, which has a population nearing 28 million.

By including Essequibo in its legislative and regional elections, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appears to be attempting to reinforce his legitimacy both internationally and domestically amid growing dissatisfaction and signs of weakening military loyalty.

Last year, Maduro claimed victory in a presidential election without providing verifiable evidence. Election monitors reported that his opponent won decisively, and numerous countries refused to recognize Maduro’s win.

Analysts note particular concern within Maduro’s administration over opposition vote counts from military barracks, which suggested a significant portion of the armed forces voted against him.