Venezuela Rejects US Statehood, Essequibo Dispute

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez firmly rejected Donald Trump's suggestion of Venezuela becoming the 51st US state. This statement was made at the International — International Criminal Court in The Hague, where Rodríguez was defending Venezuela's claim to the mineral- and oil-rich Guyana — Essequibo region against Guyana. The Guyana — Essequibo territory, which makes up two-thirds of Guyana, is rich in natural resources and sits near massive offshore oil deposits. The dispute has a long history, with an 1899 arbitration largely favoring Guyana, which Venezuela argues was nullified by a 1966 agreement. Tensions escalated after ExxonMobil's oil discovery in 2015 and former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's threat to annex the region in 2023. Maduro was later ousted by a US military operation. The International — International Criminal Court is expected to take months to issue a final ruling.