Venezuela's FM rebukes US envoy over disrespecting national symbols

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
1 May 2024 21:10

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil affirms that the Venezuelan flag has 8 stars, including the Guayana Esequiba region.

Brian Nichols, the US Department of State's Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere, posing with some members of the Venezuelan opposition residing in Florida, US. (Social Media)

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil rebuked a post published by Brian Nichols, the US Department of State's Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere, deeming it a sign of disrespect for Venezuelan symbols.

Nichols shared a photo on Wednesday posing with some members of the Venezuelan opposition residing in Florida and holding a Venezuelan flag with seven stars instead of the official eight in a move that tends to disregard Venezuela's historical claim to the disputed Essequibo region - symbolized by the eighth star in the official flag.

I met with Venezuelan diaspora members in Florida—among the most engaged and influential experts on Venezuela in the United States—to discuss U.S. policy in support of democracy + how we can work together to improve the lives of all Venezuelans. -BAN pic.twitter.com/s8SAncOGKf
— Brian A. Nichols (@WHAAsstSecty) May 1, 2024

Venezuela claims ownership over the oil-rich Essequibo region, which has been administered by Guyana for over a century and makes up two-thirds of its territory. The region is the subject of border litigation between the two countries before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

"Definitely, Brian Nichols represents the most retrograde of the State Department. His anachronistic, slave-owning, and colonialist attitude is only surpassed by his despicable disrespect for Venezuelans, posing with stateless people and symbols that do not represent our country," Gil stressed.

He affirmed that the Venezuelan flag "has 8 stars, including Guayana Esequiba and the Bolivarian horse rides free like the wind to the left."

"We demand respect for our homeland!"

Tensions have escalated between #Venezuela and #Guyana as the territorial dispute over #Essequibo has resurfaced.

Here's the history of the dispute between #Caracas and #Georgetown. pic.twitter.com/FX45hY35Ov
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 4, 2023

In March, Venezuela's parliament approved a law creating a federal state in the Essequibo region. Lawmakers unanimously approved a law that was drawn up after a December referendum in which 95% of voters, according to officials, supported declaring Venezuela the rightful owner of Essequibo.