ガイアナとの係争地に米が「秘密軍事基地」設置 ベネズエラ大統領

【カラカス（ベネズエラ）ＡＦＰ＝時事】南米ベネズエラのニコラス・マドゥロ大統領は３日、同国が領有権を主張している、石油資源が豊富なガイアナのエセキボ地域に米国が「秘密軍事基地」を設置したと非難した。（写真は、ラテンアメリカ・カリブ諸国共同体〈ＣＥＬＡＣ〉首脳会議でガイアナのイルファーン・アリ大統領と握手を交わすニコラス・マドゥロ大統領〈左〉。大統領府提供）
　マドゥロ氏は「ガイアナの暫定管理下にある『グアヤナエセキバ』地域に米南方軍、中央情報局（ＣＩＡ）の組織が秘密軍事基地を設置したとの情報がある」と語った。
　その上で、基地はベネズエラ南・東部の住民に対する「侵略」であり、係争地をめぐる対立をあおろうと準備していると述べた。
　マドゥロ氏はさらに、ガイアナのイルファーン・アリ大統領は自国を統治していないと主張。「ガイアナは米南方軍とＣＩＡ、（米石油大手）エクソンモービルに支配されている」と語った。
　エセキボ地域はガイアナ領の約３分の２を占め、１世紀以上にわたり同国が管理している。しかし、エクソンモービルが２０１５年に同地域の沖合で油田を発見したのを受け、ベネズエラとの対立が鮮明となっている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/04/04-18:12）

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday accused the United States of building secret military bases in Essequibo, an oil-rich region of Guyana that Caracas claims as its territory.
We have information proving that in the territory of Guyana Essequibo, temporarily administered by Guyana, secret military bases of the (US) Southern Command... a body of the CIA, have been installed, Maduro said.
He said the bases are an aggression against the people of southern and eastern Venezuela and were built to prepare for an escalation against Venezuela.
Maduro's provocative remarks came as parliament held a ceremony commemorating a recent law laying out the defense of Guyana Essequibo, four months after a controversial, non-binding referendum overwhelmingly approved the creation of a Venezuelan province in the disputed region, sparking fears of a military conflict.
He also claimed that his counterpart, President Irfaan Ali, does not govern Guyana and that Guyana is governed by the Southern Command, the CIA and ExxonMobil.
Southern Command, part of the Department of Defense, maintains a US Security Cooperation Office in Guyana.
The office serves as a military consultant to the Guyana Defense Force, coordinating security cooperation engagement activities and providing military support and training.
The dispute over Essequibo -- which makes up about two-thirds of Guyana's territory and has been administered by Guyana for more than a century -- intensified in 2015 after the discovery of oil deposits by US-based energy giant ExxonMobil.
Tensions soared after December's referendum. Days later, US forces held joint US-Guyana military exercises.
Both countries pledged last year not to use force to settle the border dispute, which is currently before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.