Venezuela says US building 'secret' bases in disputed Essequibo

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday accused the United States of building "secret military bases" in Essequibo, an oil-rich region of Guyana that Caracas claims as its territory.

"We have information proving that in the territory of Guyana Essequibo, temporarily administered by Guyana, secret military bases of the (US) Southern Command... a body of the CIA, have been installed," Maduro said.

He said the bases are an "aggression" against the people of southern and eastern Venezuela and were built "to prepare for an escalation against Venezuela."

Maduro's provocative remarks came as parliament held a ceremony commemorating a recent law laying out the defense of Guyana Essequibo, four months after a controversial, non-binding referendum overwhelmingly approved the creation of a Venezuelan province in the disputed region, sparking fears of a military conflict.