Oil, Empire, and the Battle for Essequibo: Venezuela Confronts the West’s New Frontier

What’s going down in Essequibo ain’t just a border squabble. It’s a resource war dressed up in legal jargon, backed by warships, and bankrolled by ExxonMobil. This is what imperialism looks like in the 21st century: oil rigs guarded by diplomats with rifles.

I. The Empire Drills, Then Sends the Gunboats

This week, Venezuela raised hell over ExxonMobil’s latest floating oil platform showing up in the disputed Essequibo waters. Caracas called it what it is—a violation of the Argyle Agreement signed just months ago. But Exxon doesn’t care. With U.S. and British backing, they’re pushing ahead, planning to crank Guyana’s oil production up to 1.3 million barrels a day by 2027.

And guess who’s watching Exxon’s back? The U.S. Southern Command, the British military, and every neoliberal think tank on the Beltway payroll. They call it investment. We call it invasion.

II. Essequibo: Another Piece of Stolen Land

The dispute over Essequibo isn’t new. Back in 1899, a crooked arbitration rigged by imperial powers handed the land to Britain. Venezuela never accepted it. The 1966 Geneva Agreement gave both sides a path to resolve it. But now that there’s oil under the seabed, the West is back at the table—not to negotiate, but to take.

Guyana has sidestepped the Geneva deal and gone to the ICJ, counting on international courts stacked with Western bias. Funny how colonialism gets a makeover when it comes wrapped in “international law.”

III. ExxonMobil’s Private Navy

Let’s stop pretending this is just about Guyana. ExxonMobil is running the show. And behind Exxon stands the U.S. Navy, the British MoD, and every weapon of soft and hard power in the imperial toolkit.

When U.S. Senator Marco Rubio threatens “swift retaliation” if Venezuela acts, he’s not playing diplomat. He’s Exxon’s mouthpiece with a Senate badge. This is oil-backed militarism. The platforms may float, but the logic is old-school: loot, drill, deploy.

IV. Venezuela Ain’t Bowing Down

Whatever critiques we have of the Bolivarian process, this much is true: Venezuela isn’t folding. They’re fighting this with diplomacy, with regional organizing, and with a steady eye on the Global South.

They know what’s at stake. This isn’t just about land. It’s about sovereignty. About breaking free from a system where Exxon gets security guarantees and entire nations get sanctions.

The danger, of course, is real. The empire is poking and prodding, hoping for an excuse to escalate. But Venezuela’s holding the line—not with bravado, but with a political clarity rooted in centuries of resistance.

V. Essequibo Is the New Congo

This is colonialism in HD. Oil reserves. Western corporations. Puppet regimes. Legal justifications. Military threats. The script hasn’t changed—just the lighting.

What we’re seeing is the Western world doubling down on its old habits: extract, dominate, divide. The difference is, this time the Global South is watching. And remembering.

The Essequibo struggle isn’t just Venezuela’s fight. It’s a warning shot to all of us: the imperial machine will never stop unless we make it.

And that means choosing sides. Not with Exxon. Not with empire. But with the people fighting to breathe, to live, and to own the ground beneath their feet.

The oil may be under Essequibo. But the power to stop this madness lies in the hands of the people.