United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stern warning to Venezuela on Thursday, threatening severe consequences if the country were to attack the assets of American oil giant ExxonMobil in Guyana’s Stabroek Block or take military action against Guyana in its ongoing border dispute over the Essequibo Region.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali, Rubio stated, “It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or ExxonMobil or anything like it.” Without elaborating on specific actions, he cautioned that “it would not end well for them.”
Rubio emphasized the U.S. commitment to Guyana, noting the presence of a U.S. Navy vessel in Guyana’s waters as a demonstration of American military capabilities. “We have a big navy, and we have commitments that exist today with Guyana,” Rubio said, adding that the U.S. aimed to strengthen those ties. “Suffice it to say, if that regime were to take such an action, it would be a very bad move—a big mistake.”
The comments come after Venezuela sent a military offshore patrol vessel into Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on March 1, 2025. The Venezuelan vessel interacted with ExxonMobil-operated Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) units, asserting that they were operating in disputed waters, still to be delimited under international law.
However, experts are cautioning against over-reliance on U.S. support in the event of direct conflict. Although the U.S. has shown its commitment to Guyana, including the presence of military assets, any decision to engage militarily would require Congressional approval. Additionally, President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about foreign entanglements, suggesting that U.S. intervention is far from guaranteed.
Foreign policy experts argue that while ExxonMobil’s presence in Guyana and the country’s vast oil wealth make it an important international player, the ultimate responsibility for defending its sovereignty lies with Guyana itself. “Despite the U.S.’s verbal assurances, Guyana cannot afford to depend on external powers for its defense. The government of President Irfaan Ali has yet to demonstrate the robust action needed to protect the nation’s territorial integrity,” said one expert.
The controversy over the Essequibo region dates back to the 1899 Arbitral Award, which definitively settled the border dispute by awarding Essequibo to Guyana. Although Venezuela initially accepted the ruling, it later reneged on the agreement, leading to decades of tension. In March 2018, the then-APNU+AFC government under President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo brought the matter before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for resolution.