Why Is Venezuela Threatening a Land-Grab War in Latin America?

The fact that international arbiters marked the boundary lines well over a century ago won’t stop Maduro from claiming land that many Venezuelans have long been told is rightfully theirs. On Sunday, Caracas held a referendum to determine sovereignty over Essequibo despite the ICJ warning against threatening the status quo. The results, though heavily criticized, showed that 95 percent of voters were in favor of Venezuela annexing the disputed region.

This week, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro took unprecedented steps to establish control over the contested Essequibo region of neighboring Guyana, violating an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling. Essequibo, a region in western Guyana, accounts for two-thirds of the country’s territory, 16 percent of its population—and, crucially, would give Caracas a claim to offshore oil riches that Guyana recently found and that Venezuela clearly covets.

This week, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro took unprecedented steps to establish control over the contested Essequibo region of neighboring Guyana, violating an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling. Essequibo, a region in western Guyana, accounts for two-thirds of the country’s territory, 16 percent of its population—and, crucially, would give Caracas a claim to offshore oil riches that Guyana recently found and that Venezuela clearly covets.

The fact that international arbiters marked the boundary lines well over a century ago won’t stop Maduro from cl