VENEZUELA’S President Nicolás Maduro’s recent attempt to consolidate support for his government through a controversial referendum on December 3 has ended with many questions over the truth behind the results, according to credible international reports.

The referendum posed five questions to the Venezuelan electorate, two of which directly threatened the territorial sovereignty of Guyana by suggesting the annexation of the Essequibo region.
It was reported by The UK Guardian that according to the Venezuelan government, over 10.5 million people cast ballots in the referendum, which is more than the number of votes cast in 2012 to re-elect Hugo Chávez, Maduro’s more well-liked predecessor.

Due to “massive participation”, the voting session was extended on Sunday evening, according to Venezuela’s electoral administration.
The Guardian reported that because observers claim that the government’s data does not match what they saw at polling places, they have come under intense scrutiny.

A screenshot that appeared to have been widely circulated and then removed by Venezuela’s election authorities featured a table with around two million votes for each of the five questions, indicating that the public relations fiasco was orchestrated by tallying the votes rather than the voters.
Despite Venezuela’s aggressive rhetoric and propaganda, the referendum’s outcome underscores a lack of popular support for Maduro’s territorial ambitions.

The territorial controversy over the Essequibo region dates back to the late 19th Century when an arbitral award in 1899 defined the borders between Venezuela and British Guiana, now known as Guyana.
However, Venezuela, after accepting and acknowledging the award for more than six decades, contested its validity. Fast forward to 2018, Guyana, acting on the advice of the United Nations Secretary-General, took the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is tasked with ruling on the validity of the 1899 Award.

Despite the judicial process, Maduro, on December 3, went ahead with a referendum. Guyana was, however, able to secure provisional measures from the ICJ before this referendum. The court ordered that, pending the decision of the substantive case, Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action that would modify the situation that currently prevails with the territory, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over the Essequibo.

The remarkably low voter turnout, as reported, signals a lack of enthusiasm or endorsement for the Venezuelan government’s aggressive posture. This low participation undermines the credibility of the referendum, and suggests that the Venezuelan people might not be overwhelmingly supportive of such confrontational tactics.
The international community, already concerned about Maduro’s authoritarian rule and Venezuela’s regional ambitions, is closely monitoring the situation. His attempt to use a referendum to validate his government’s aggressive stance on the Essequibo controversy has backfired.

Guyana, together with the international and regional community, continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution to territorial issues, emphasising the importance of diplomatic solutions and adherence to international legal processes.
The world will be watching Maduro’s administration, and paying close attention to the smokescreens his administration puts up to mask the economic hardships in the country.