CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The government of Venezuela accused neighboring Guayana Sunday of granting illegal oil exploration concessions in territory the two nations are disputing. The comments Sunday came after Guyana said Saturday that it has satellite imagery showing Venezuelan military movements near the South American country’s eastern border with Guyana. Venezuela has been laying claim to the mineral-rich Essequibo region, which covers about two thirds of Guyana’s surface area. But for more than 60 years Venezuela has accused the commission of cheating it out of the Essequibo region. Several top American administration and military officials have visited Guyana in recent weeks as a show of support.

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Persons: Guayana, Vincent, Robert Persaud, Irfaan Ali, Nicolás Maduro Organizations: ”, ExxonMobil, Argyle, US Center for Strategic, International Studies, Venezuelan Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, Guyana, Essequibo, Caribbean, St, Brazil, Punta Barima, Netherlands, U.S