Recently, Venezuela announced the results of a referendum with disputed neighbor Guyana on the sovereignty of the Essequibo region, which showed that more than 95% of the people voted in favor of the decision to annex the region to Venezuela, which has sparked widespread attention and discussion. The result of the referendum was expected, but so was the discussion of what specific actions Venezuela would take.
The Essequibo region has been a point of contention between Venezuela and Guyana, accounting for nearly 2 3 of Guyana's land area, and the discovery of large oil and gas resources in recent years has made the region increasingly important. There are two main reasons why Venezuela decided to hold a referendum: first, the discovery of signs of oil resources along the region's coast, which triggered a series of stakeholder actions such as Guyana starting a tender for the region;Second, the US military intends to establish a military base in the region, and this possibility also poses a threat to the situation in Venezuela. In fact, Venezuela has hoped for a peaceful negotiation with Guyana to resolve the territorial dispute in the past, but the most unbearable is the *** issue. As a hostile country of the United States, if the US military can be directly stationed at the door of Venezuela, then Venezuela's security will face a huge challenge. Thus, Maduro announced this move in Venezuela in response to provocations by ExxonMobil, the US Southern Command and Guyana.
However, in fact, there is a more important reason behind this move by Venezuela, that is, the decline of US hegemony and the decline of control. Part of the reason Venezuela was able to take such bold action was that American hegemony was no longer unbreakable. It was the weakening of US control in the South American region that gave Venezuela the courage to take this step. With only more than 3,000 troops, Guyana has a huge disparity in strength with Venezuela, but the presence and influence of the US military in South America have made Guyana dare to provoke Venezuela. Currently, Venezuela is preparing to increase its military presence close to the disputed area, and Brazil, which borders it, has also expressed concern and is massing troops along the border to stabilize the situation. If a regional conflict does break out, whether the United States will intervene has become a key issue. For the United States, the region is a major source for its oil giants, especially the Starbrook oil field, which is located in Venezuela's territorial waters. Judging from its interests, the United States should take action, but this will inevitably lead the United States into a three-front predicament. At present, the Ukraine crisis has not been resolved, and the United States is hesitant to continue to provide assistanceAt the same time, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is also escalating, and the main force of the US Navy has shifted to the Middle East and East Asia. And at this time, the backyard of the United States turned out to be **, and Maduro's actions once again put the United States in a difficult situation. This can be described as an irreversible process of the decline of US hegemony, as the United States finds itself less and less in control of the Middle East, South America and other regions. Although the United States has previously listed China as the "primary threat", whenever the United States tries to confront China with all its might, it will always be disturbed by various kinds of interference and cannot go all out.
The reaction to the Venezuelan referendum result in the territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana has been varied. On the one hand, some people believe that Venezuela's move is motivated by considerations for national interests and security, and is a legitimate act to protect its own interests. After all, the oil and gas resources in the Essequibo region are crucial to Venezuela's economic development, and the US military's plan to establish a base in the region poses a direct threat to Venezuela's economy. On the other hand, some people have expressed concern about Venezuela's move, which they believe will trigger a regional conflict and adversely affect the stability of South America. These people fear that the United States may take military action to defend its interests in the region, which in turn will increase tensions in the region. In any case, Venezuela's move reveals the decline of US hegemony and the change of the geopolitical landscape, bringing new challenges to the resolution of regional issues and the adjustment of the world pattern.
Taken as a whole, the referendum in Venezuela and its possible follow-up highlight some important phenomena and trends in current international relations. First, Venezuela's move reflects the weakening of the control of the United States as a superpower. The United States has been the "policeman" of the South American region for the past few decades and has very important economic and geopolitical interests here. However, over time, the regional influence of the United States has gradually declined due to internal and external factors. The Venezuelan referendum is just a microcosm of this process, showing the reality of the diminishing U.S. influence and increasing challenges in South America. Second, the results of the Venezuelan referendum also reflect the rise of new powers and a growing sense of sovereignty. For Venezuela, the referendum is not only an action to resolve disputes, but also an expression of national sovereignty and public opinion. Through the referendum, the Venezuelan people expressed their concern for their own interests and security, while also declaring their determination to sovereignty to the world. Finally, the Venezuelan referendum also reflects the importance of regional stability and development and its impact on the global landscape. Whether it is the United States, Venezuela or other countries concerned about regional affairs, they should respect international laws and the sovereignty of all countries, resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and form consensus and cooperation in the process of maintaining regional stability and development, so as to achieve win-win results and common development.
In short, the Venezuelan referendum has become an important focus in current international relations. Venezuela's move reveals the decline of US hegemony and the changing geopolitical landscape, as well as the rise of new powers and a growing sense of national sovereignty. However, there are still many challenges to the stability and development of the region, and all parties need to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, build a foundation of mutual trust and cooperation, and achieve common prosperity and development.