Venezuelan K-8W light attack aircraft flew across the Atlantic from Guiria on February 24, as reported by The Diplomat, bearing the slogan “El Essequibo es Nuestro” (“Essequibo is ours”) in an assertion of Venezuela’s claim to the region.
As tensions persist between Guyana and Venezuela, the role of international actors in mediating and influencing the dispute becomes increasingly critical. This bold display follows months of escalating rhetoric and actions by the Maduro government, including a contentious referendum in December 2023 seeking to annex Essequibo.
The dispute over Essequibo has become a focal point illustrating contrasting approaches by major global powers in Latin America and the Caribbean, a June 15 analysis in The Diplomat, an Asia-Pacific current affairs magazine said. Venezuela’s alignment with China has been pivotal in bolstering the Maduro regime economically and militarily. Chinese support, including significant investments and arms sales, has sustained Venezuela amid international sanctions, highlighting Beijing’s strategic interests in the region, the analysis said.