A contested election held on March 2 in the South American nation of Guyana may be more important to the United States than meets the eye. At stake for the people of Guyana is the long-awaited prosperity that could come from its newly acquired status as a major oil-producing nation. At stake for the U.S. is having a stable ally in an unstable part of the world.

The current government is controlled by the APNU + AFC Coalition, which sought a second term following a 2015 victory over the opposition left-wing People’s Progressive Party. The People’s Progressive Party ruled Guyana from 1992 through 2015 and left behind a legacy of controversy. The party said it will renegotiate the oil exploration arrangement with Exxon. Chevron and Apache also have oil and gas holdings in Guyana. Punishment of U.S. investments would not be in the national interest of the U.S.