Venezuela vessel accosts oil extraction platform in Guyana’s waters

-US issues warning

A Venezuelan coastguard boat motored through Guyana’s waters off the Demerara coast yesterday and harassed oil extraction assets working for ExxonMobil triggering an explicit warning from the US about consequences if there is a recurrence.

The incursion occurred around 7 am yesterday and hours later the US State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs issued the following statement on X (formerly Twitter).

 “Venezuelan naval vessels threatening ExxonMobil’s floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit is unacceptable and a clear violation of Guyana’s internationally-recognized maritime territory. Further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime. The United States reaffirms its support for Guyana’s territorial integrity and the 1899 arbitral award”, the statement read.