Venezuela Passes Law to Annex Part of Guyana's Essequibo Region, Raising Border Tensions
• Maduro passed a law to create a new Venezuelan state annexing part of Guyana's Essequibo region • The law aims to fulfill results of a disputed December referendum in Venezuela supporting annexation • It establishes a 24th federal state in Venezuela and a parliamentary representative for the region • The law provides for a commission to defend Venezuela's claim on the resource-rich territory • It raises fears Venezuela could invade the disputed region, claimed by both countries since 1899