The remote rainforest village of Surama in Guyana's disputed Essequibo region is on edge due to Venezuela's plans to hold a referendum on November 30th claiming the territory as its own. Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro is pushing citizens to vote on annexing the mineral-rich, 61,600 sq mile area into Venezuela.
The vote has left Indigenous residents like those in Surama feeling neglected by Guyana's government and anxious about the future. While the practical implications are unclear, the referendum questions reject Guyana's territorial control and aim to integrate Essequibo into Venezuela. Guyana requested the International Court of Justice halt parts of the vote but Venezuela intends to proceed anyway.
The dispute dates back to competing boundary claims from the colonial era. Venezuela argues the region was stolen by corrupt international arbitration in 1899. Most in Essequibo proudly embrace their Guyanese identity and reject the referendum. Resident Jacqueline Allicock summed up the mood asking: "Why would you want to take away something that doesn’t belong to you?" With the court likely deciding this week on stopping aspects of the vote, Essequibans are praying for peace rather than an uncertain future in Venezuela.