Venezuelans' Referendum on Guyana's Territory Backfires

A referendum in Venezuela intended to support the country's claim to two-thirds of Guyana's territory has backfired, as most voters chose to stay home, leading to accusations of falsified results. The Venezuelan government had hoped to leverage the century-long dispute over the Essequibo region to mobilize public support, but the low turnout has been seen as a strong message against President Maduro. Guyanese officials, while not directly commenting on the results, expressed relief. The dispute is being reviewed in the international court of justice, and tensions between the two nations have increased in recent weeks.