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.

    • chowder@lemmy.one
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      7 months ago

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

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        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.

        • Transporter Room 3@startrek.website
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          7 months ago

          If it did, I’m sure the US would graciously step in to ensure stability and promote democracy, and not at all to secure US oil interests.

          Totally.

    • slaacaa@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      MIC executives already popping viagra and browsing yacht magazines, thinking about future bonuses.

  • LilB0kChoy@lemm.ee
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    7 months ago

    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.

    • Black616Angel@feddit.de
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      7 months ago

      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?

      • EurekaStockade@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        That’s a pretty uncharitable interpretation, the commenter is just saying they otherwise don’t know have any experience with the country

        • LilB0kChoy@lemm.ee
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          7 months ago

          Bingo! I can’t believe I have to defend sharing my positive, limited, anecdotal experience with Guyanese people and culture.

      • LilB0kChoy@lemm.ee
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        7 months 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.

  • justaveg@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

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

    • nicetriangle@kbin.social
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      7 months 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.