Guyana‘s tiny army is on full alert for an invasion from Venezuela, and Brazil also moved troops to the area amid fears a conflict could spill over the border.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali late on Wednesday and reaffirmed the country’s backing for Guyana‘s sovereignty, the State Department said.

Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana over the oil-rich region of Essequibo have been rising, as the 61,600-square-mile area makes up to over two thirds of Guyana’s total land mass.

Maduro – a good friend of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin – has ambitions to seize the oil supplies in Essequibo.

A referendum took place in Venezuela on Sunday, which saw more than 95% of voters supporting the government’s claim to Essequibo, the BBC reports.

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