BOGOTA / ISTANBUL

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday accused neighboring Guyana of engaging in illegal activities in the disputed Esequibo region, a territory at the heart of a long-standing sovereignty conflict between the two countries.

In an interview with the state-run channel VTV, Maduro alleged that Guyana has undertaken unlawful actions in the Esequibo region, which Venezuela claims as part of its territory.

He warned that Venezuela would take necessary measures to stop such actions.

The Venezuelan leader accused Guyana of allowing US energy giant ExxonMobil to extract oil in waters that have not yet been internationally demarcated.

"This is absolutely illegal," Maduro declared, referring to Guyana’s operations in the area. "We reject and condemn this, and we will take all steps to stop the illegal activities of the Guyanese government with ExxonMobil."

Venezuela has long contested the region, which is rich in oil and mineral resources, and claims the actions violate international law.

On March 1, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali reported that Venezuelan naval ships had approached an ExxonMobil oil platform, expressing concern over the situation.

In response, Venezuela accused Guyana of spreading "misleading information."

Venezuelan officials also claimed that 28 foreign drilling vessels and tankers are currently operating in the disputed area, labeling these activities a violation of international law.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has called on both nations to avoid actions that could escalate tensions, urging Guyana and Venezuela to refrain from unnecessary confrontations.

The Esequibo dispute traces back to Guyana’s pre-independence era under British colonial rule.

A 1899 arbitration agreement set the Esequibo River as Guyana’s western boundary, but the frontier was contested after Guyana gained independence in 1966, leading to ongoing conflict over the resource-rich region home to around 125,000 people.