"Guyana and Venezuela to Hold Talks on Territorial Dispute Amid International Pressure"

Under pressure from Brazil and a Caribbean trading bloc, the government of Guyana has agreed to join bilateral talks with Venezuela over an escalating territorial dispute. The dispute, reignited by the discovery of oil in Guyana, centers around the Essequibo territory, which accounts for two-thirds of Guyana and lies near significant offshore oil deposits. Guyana's President, Irfaan Ali, maintains that the country's position on the border controversy is non-negotiable and should be settled by the United Nations' International Court of Justice. The talks are scheduled to take place in St. Vincent, with Brazil acting as an observer.