Maduro's Outburst on Venezuelan TV: Harsh Words for Marco Rubio Explained

The strained relations between Venezuela and the United States hit a new low this week when Nicolás Maduro, in a television address, hurled the insult "imbecile" at U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio three times in under a minute. "We want democracy. We are building democracy. They say it's a regime. Then there's the imbecile Marco Rubio threatening Venezuela from Guyana. Imbecile. No one threatens Venezuela because this is the land of the Liberators. This is the land of Bolívar, imbecile," declared the South American leader.

Maduro's reaction was triggered by Rubio's warnings of potential military consequences should Caracas take action against Guyana amidst the territorial dispute over the Esequibo region. "And they say it's a regime, it's a dictatorship... Marco Rubio has never witnessed a community assembly, has never visited a neighborhood, because they belong to the corrupt Miami elite. Very corrupt, who despise Venezuela," Maduro added.

Furthermore, Maduro labeled Marco Rubio as the "godfather" of "La Sayona," a nickname he uses for opposition leader María Corina Machado. The Venezuelan leader's comments were in response to Marco Rubio's declarations from Georgetown, Guyana's capital, where the U.S. Secretary of State firmly stated that any Venezuelan aggression would be met with a strong response.

"If they were to attack Guyana or ExxonMobil [...] it would be a very bad day, a very bad week for them. It wouldn't end well," warned the U.S. diplomat.

Military Support and Warnings from Marco Rubio

Rubio's visit to Guyana, alongside Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, carried significant symbolic and military weight. The Trump Administration official reaffirmed Washington's political and strategic support for Georgetown amidst joint military exercises between the U.S. Navy and Guyana's Defense Forces.

"We have a large Navy that can reach almost anywhere, any part of the world. And we have existing commitments with Guyana," Rubio stated. He also mentioned that "there will be consequences for 'adventurism,' there will be consequences for aggressive actions," without specifying the nature of a potential military response.

These statements came alongside new defense and security cooperation agreements, particularly concerning offshore oil installations in Guyana's Exclusive Economic Zone. Rubio described Venezuela's threats as part of "illegitimate territorial claims by a narco-regime."

The Esequibo: A Longstanding Dispute

The conflict over the Esequibo, a 160,000 km² area rich in oil and natural resources, dates back to colonial times. In 1899, an arbitration ruling awarded the territory to the then British colony. Venezuela never accepted this decision, and after Guyana's independence in 1966, both nations signed the Geneva Agreement, establishing a negotiated path to resolve the dispute.

During the administrations of Hugo Chávez and the early years of Maduro, Caracas moderated its territorial stance in search of political support in the Caribbean. However, everything changed with the discovery of significant oil deposits by ExxonMobil in disputed waters in 2015. Since then, the Chavista rhetoric has become more extreme.

Recently, tensions have escalated with the Venezuelan regime's decision to hold gubernatorial and parliamentary elections in the Esequibo on May 25. The National Electoral Council included the region in the regional elections, though it remains unclear how this will be implemented over a territory it does not control.

Guyana's response has been firm. National Security Minister Robenson Benn warned that if a Guyanese citizen accepts the position of Esequibo governor proposed by Caracas, "we will charge them with treason and arrest them." Additionally, anyone supporting that election will also be deemed a traitor.

Maduro's Defiance and Victimization

The Venezuelan president used his speech to rally against external threats: "This people, if anything, when threatened, when beaten, becomes more rebellious." Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López asserted that the Venezuelan Armed Forces would act "with firmness and determination" against any foreign intervention attempts: "We will not tolerate threats from any foreign official," he stated.

Padrino defended the legality of Venezuela's claim: "It is outrageous to label our claim over the Esequibo territory as illegitimate, considering the Geneva Agreement is the valid instrument signed by the parties involved in the territorial dispute."

Vice President Delcy Rodríguez also raised her voice, labeling Irfaan Ali as "the Zelensky of the Caribbean" and accusing Marco Rubio of being "the minuscule one occupying the U.S. Secretary of State position" who "aims to threaten Venezuela."

Regional Tensions Intensify

The recent diplomatic clash occurs in a context of increasing militarization in the area. In early March, a Venezuelan corvette approached an ExxonMobil oil platform dangerously, in a move analysts consider the most serious in years.

Meanwhile, the United States and Guyana continue to strengthen their military cooperation. Recent naval exercises are aimed at improving coordination in crisis scenarios.

The Legal Front: International Court of Justice

The territorial dispute is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after Guyana approached this body in 2018 following the failure of UN mediations. Venezuela has questioned the court's jurisdiction but has participated in the process. Caracas is expected to present its final written counter-argument on the validity of the 1899 arbitration award in August.

Meanwhile, the Maduro government insists on keeping the tension alive with actions like including the Esequibo in the official map and electoral processes. From Miraflores, the narrative remains confrontational: "No one threatens Venezuela because this is the land of the Liberators," reiterated Maduro.