Border controversies for decades have led to Guyana’s government formally requesting that Facebook and Twitter remove “illegal maps” which validate Venezuelan land grabs. Venezuela has attempted to claim Guyana’s Essequibo region, which takes up 40% of the country and is rich with gold, diamonds, and oil, for years. At times, Venezuela even took military action, sending in warships and helicopters on multiple occasions. Before Guyana was independent, it was a British territory; even then, Venezuela disputed the border.
It seems that Venezuela attempts to claim whatever land in Guyana is convenient and most beneficial for them at the time. This dispute could end up being a larger issue eventually. Years of turmoil can lead to war or invasion, as shown most recently in Ukraine. While Venezuela attempts to call parts of Guyana their own, they don’t have as intertwined of a history as other countries with similar border disputes. The majority of Guyanese people are of African descent, and it is the only South American country whose national language is English. Venezuela and Guyana aren’t ethnically or culturally very similar, so the only reason Venezuela would be so insistent on taking Guyana’s land is for the money.
This relates to class because Guyana used to be a stateless nation.