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Venezuela warns the US against interference after intercepting an ExxonMobil ship.

Caracas strongly rejected Washington's response following the interception of an ExxonMobil oil exploration vessel by Venezuelan authorities, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry declared.

Venezuela warns the US against interference after intercepting an ExxonMobil ship (Photo: Carlos Garcia Rawlins)

Sputnik Brazil - Caracas strongly rejected Washington's response after Venezuelan authorities intercepted an ExxonMobil oil exploration vessel, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said.

On Saturday night, Guyana's Foreign Ministry said that Venezuela's Bolivarian Navy had intercepted an oil exploration vessel operating within the country's territorial waters under the Bahamian flag and on behalf of the American oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil. Caracas, in turn, insisted that there were not one, but two oil exploration vessels, and that they had illegally crossed the Venezuelan border.

The incident occurred in disputed territories referred to by Venezuela as Guayana Esequiba. The area has also been claimed by Guyana since the 19th century and increased tensions between Caracas and Georgetown in 2015 when Guyana granted ExxonMobil a license to explore the oil-rich region.

The U.S. State Department has asked Venezuela to "respect" the sovereignty of its neighbors.

"The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically rejects the statement by the U.S. State Department regarding the sovereign actions taken on December 23 by the Bolivarian Navy for the strict protection of Venezuelan waters," the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.