U.S. Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar on Tuesday praised Guyana’s management of its oil revenues while criticizing Venezuela’s government amid ongoing tensions between the two South American nations over the Essequibo controversy.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Salazar accused Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez and Nicolás Maduro, who is in U.S. custody, of damaging Venezuela while threatening Guyana’s sovereignty.
Salazar, who serves as Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere under the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, wrote, “Delcy thinks she can trick President Trump the same way she and Maduro tricked and destroyed Venezuela.”
“But President Trump knows exactly who she is: another member of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves. You don’t deal with him through secret letters while trying to steal territory from a free and sovereign nation like Guyana,” the official added.
The U.S. lawmaker also pointed to Guyana’s economic growth since the start of oil production in the Stabroek Block in late 2019.
“Unlike the Maduro regime, Guyana didn’t rob its people. They managed their oil wealth responsibly, created a sovereign wealth fund, and saw GDP per capita quadruple in just five years,” Salazar stated.
“Delcy should stop threatening Guyana and start learning from it.”
Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund was established in 2021 to manage revenues from the country’s petroleum sector. The country has recorded rapid economic growth since oil production began offshore, driven primarily by output from the ExxonMobil-operated Stabroek Block.
The remarks come as tensions continue over Venezuela’s claims to Guyana’s Essequibo region, which is currently before the International Court of Justice. Guyana is seeking a final ruling confirming the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award that established the boundary between the two countries.
