Venezuelans to vote in referendum over large swathe of territory under dispute with Guyana

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelans are heading to the polls to try to decide the future of a large swath of neighboring Guyana. The vote Sunday is their government’s latest attempt to claim ownership of a territory it argues was stolen when a north-south border was drawn more than a century ago. Guyana has characterized the referendum a step toward annexation. Venezuelan voters will be asked five questions including whether they support establishing a state in the disputed territory known as Essequibo. The U.N.’s top court has ordered Venezuela not to take any action that would alter Guyana’s control over Essequibo but it did not specifically ban officials from holding the referendum.