Venezuela will propose in the consultative referendum on the disputed territory of Essequibo, which it called for December, the creation of a new state in that area and granting Venezuelan nationality to its inhabitants, as reported this Monday by the electoral authority that organizes the process. Essequibo is a territory of 159,542 kilometers that has important natural resources - oil, gas, mining, hydraulic and forestry - and great tourism potential and is administered by Guyana, a former British colony, and claimed by Venezuela in a century-old dispute. The president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Elvis Amoroso, read the five questions of the consultative referendum before the press in Caracas. Point five refers to "the creation of the state of Guayana Esequiba" and the development of "an accelerated plan for comprehensive care for the current and future population of that territory," he said. The plan must include "the granting of Venezuelan citizenship and identity card, in accordance with the Geneva Agreement and International Law, consequently incorporating said status on the map of Venezuelan territory," he added. On Friday, Amoroso had announced the holding of the referendum on December 3. Venezuela is divided into 23 states and a Federal District, while Essequibo is identified on the map as a "Claim Area." The referendum proposal arose last September from Parliament, in the midst of tension over oil tenders made by Guyana in maritime areas pending delimitation.