Venezuela-Guyana tensions escalate as Hague court jurisdiction challenged over oil-rich territory

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez challenged the International Court of Justice's jurisdiction in The Hague over a territorial dispute concerning the oil-rich Essequibo region. Rodríguez insisted that Venezuela would only accept bilateral negotiations with Guyana to resolve the conflict. The dispute concerns Essequibo, a territory administered by Guyana but claimed by Venezuela, which contains significant oil reserves. The International Court of Justice case could take several years to reach a final decision, while tensions between the two South American neighbors continue to mount over the resource-rich region.