Al Jazeera English published this video item, entitled “Venezuela holds referendum on oil-rich Guyana region” – below is their description.
Venezuela is set to hold a referendum on Sunday on whether to establish a new state in a disputed, oil-rich territory long ruled by Guyana.
The vote comes after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) urged Venezuela to refrain from “taking any action” that could alter the status quo in the region. However, it did not specifically ban Caracas from holding the referendum as Guyana had requested.
Friday’s ruling is the latest development in the larger border dispute. The ICJ said in April that it had jurisdiction over the case but a final ruling could be years away.
Al Jazeera’s Alessandro Rampietti reports on why this vote has been causing concern in the region.
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About This Source - Al Jazeera English
The video item below is a piece of English language content from Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera is a Qatari state-funded broadcaster based in Doha, Qatar, owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network.
Guyana, officially the Co‑operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on South America’s North Atlantic coast, is defined by its dense rainforest.
Its capital, Georgetown, is known for British colonial architecture, including tall, painted-timber St. George’s Anglican Cathedral. A large clock marks the facade of Stabroek Market, a source of local produce.
Guyana is the only South American nation in which English is the official language. The majority of the population, however, speak Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language, as a first language. Guyana is part of the Anglophone Caribbean.
It gained independence in 1966, and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970.
Venezuela is a country on the northern coast of South America with diverse natural attractions. Along its Caribbean coast are tropical resort islands including Isla de Margarita and the Los Roques archipelago. To the northwest are the Andes Mountains and the colonial town of Mérida, a base for visiting Sierra Nevada National Park. Caracas, the capital, is to the north.
Voting is a method for a group, such as a meeting or an electorate, in order to make a collective decision or express an opinion usually following discussions, debates or election campaigns. Democracies elect holders of high office by voting. Residents of a place represented by an elected official are called “constituents”, and those constituents who cast a ballot for their chosen candidate are called “voters”. There are different systems for collecting votes, but while many of the systems used in decision-making can also be used as electoral systems, any which cater for proportional representation can only be used in elections.
In smaller organizations, voting can occur in different ways. Formally via ballot to elect others for example within a workplace, to elect members of political associations or to choose roles for others. Informally voting could occur as a spoken agreement or as a verbal gesture like a raised hand or electronically.
