Guyana Appeals To UN Court As Venezuelan Plans Vote In Disputed Zone

The disputed Essequibo region makes up two-thirds of Guyana's territory and is home to 125,000 of its 800,000 citizens (Credit: AFP)

Guyana on Thursday sought relief from the UN's highest court after Venezuela said it would hold elections in the oil-rich Essequibo border region that both neighbors lay claim to.

Venezuela goes to the polls on May 25 to elect new governors of states, in which it has included Essequibo -- a region that has been administered by Guyana for over a century.