Rubio warns Maduro as Venezuela-Guyana tensions flare
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Venezuela against attacking Guyana, prompting a sharp reaction from Nicolás Maduro, who asserted that no one can threaten Venezuela.
What you need to know
- Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, expressed concern about potential Venezuelan actions against Guyana, particularly regarding ExxonMobil's infrastructure.
- Nicolás Maduro sharply criticized Rubio, calling him an "imbecile" and emphasizing that no one can threaten Venezuela.
- Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana have escalated following accusations of the Venezuelan coast guard intruding into Guyanese waters.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his concerns on Thursday regarding potential Venezuelan actions against Guyana. During a visit to Guyana, Rubio emphasized that an attack on the country or on ExxonMobil's infrastructure, which operates there, could have serious consequences for Nicolás Maduro's regime.
Rubio did not provide details about the potential U.S. response but noted that such an attack would mean "a very bad day, a very bad week for them, and it would not end well for them." Since coming into power in 2013, Maduro has been accused by the opposition of rigging presidential elections.
The Venezuelan president's sharp response to Rubio
In response to Rubio's remarks, Nicolás Maduro strongly criticized the U.S. Secretary of State on national television. "There goes the imbecile Marco Rubio threatening Venezuela from Guyana. No one threatens Venezuela because this is the homeland of the liberators," said Maduro.
Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana rose in early March when the Guyanese government accused the Venezuelan coast guard of intruding into its waters and attempting to disrupt oil extraction. Venezuela considers the disputed Essequibo territory its own and plans to establish a new state there, with gubernatorial elections scheduled for May.
