Venezuelans going to the polls Sunday will be asked to answer an unusually provocative question: Should their government be given a blank check to invade neighboring Guyana, and wrest away three-quarters of its oil-rich territory?

The government of Nicolás Maduro is putting the query before voters, part of a century-old territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana that is raising tensions in the region and threatening to escalate into a shooting war.

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[–] 53 points 2 years ago*

This smells of Russian bullshit to me but that’s just my off the cuff hunch.

Edit: lol look at the timing on this https://www.reuters.com/world/venezuelas-maduro-expected-visit-russia-putins-oil-point-man-says-2023-10-16/

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  • [–] 33 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    The US military industrial complex must already be salivating.

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  • [–] 32 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    The UK has disputes there, not the US. Either way the aggressor would be Venezuela.

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    The US considers all of South America within its sphere of influence.

    That said, I'm inclined to agree with @nicetriangle that this is just Russian bullshit and and doubt anything will actually happen.

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    We had three families in our neighborhood, all related, that the parents/grandparents were from Guyana and the kids were born here.

    I can’t speak for the country but those people were awesome! Super friendly, nice, hard working but most of all happy to share and explain their culture.

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  • [–] -2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    What is your comment supposed to mean?

    I can’t speak for the country but those people were awesome!

    If they were assholes, would you just bomb their country? Wtf?

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago

    What is your comment supposed to mean?

    It’s supposed to mean I can’t speak for the country or all the Guyanese people based on my limited, anecdotal experience with one family.

    I’m not informed on the regional geopolitics, I’ve never been there. Hell, I had to look up the appropriate demonym because I couldn’t remember if it was Guyanese or Guyanan.

    It makes me sad to see this and think that people who were so nice and exposed me to Guyanese culture, a country I hadn’t even known existed and would have guessed was in South Asia, might see their cultural home attacked.

    It’s supposed to mean I don’t know what I don’t know and I’m not comfortable making assumptions or inferences when I’m not informed.

    Seems like that’s not a problem you have.

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago
    [–] 15 points 2 years ago

    Oil-rich? What an amazing coincidence.

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  • [–] 14 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    So is it safe to assume this isn't going to be a free and fair vote?

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago (2 children)
  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago

    Yeah that's my hunch on it as well. There's been a number of articles in the last few months signaling closer ties with Russia and Maduro.

    I'm of the opinion that the Gaza thing was spun up in part to create a distraction away from Ukraine and therefore divide available media attention and military resources. This looks a lot like an attempt to do that again.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I wonder how long before a carrier strike group is stationed off the coast?

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  • [+] 1 point 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago)