Venezuela's Delcy Rodriguez heads to The Hague for land dispute case

"It has fallen to me to travel in the coming hours to defend our homeland, Rodriguez said in a televised speech."

"The United Nations' top civil court in The Hague has already been hearing arguments in the Venezuela-Guyana case, which relates to a centuries-old dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region. Venezuela claims the territory, currently administered by Guyana. The sprawling region bordering eastern Venezuela accounts for two-thirds of Guyana's current territory."

"The case focuses on whether the current border, established between the two countries in 1899 under British colonial rule should remain valid, or if the border should be drawn in accordance with a later document from 1966 signed before Guyana gained its independence."

"Rodriguez, a supporter of Maduro's Chavismo movement, has remained compliant to a list of US demands, including stopping oil deliveries to Cuba, opening Venezuela's state-owned oil industry to foreign companies and releasing political prisoners."

Delcy Rodriguez will travel to The Hague to defend Venezuela in the International Court of Justice case involving Guyana’s border with Venezuela. The dispute concerns the oil-rich Essequibo region, which is currently administered by Guyana and borders eastern Venezuela. The case centers on whether the 1899 border set under British colonial rule should remain valid or whether the border should follow a 1966 document signed before Guyana’s independence. Offshore oil discoveries by ExxonMobil have increased the region’s strategic value. Rodriguez, acting president after Nicolas Maduro’s capture and trial in the United States, has faced US sanctions that were lifted after she took office. She has complied with US demands including stopping oil deliveries to Cuba, opening Venezuela’s state oil industry to foreign companies, and releasing political prisoners.

Read at www.aljazeera.com