The United States has declared plans for military exercises with Guyana amidst a disagreement over a region abundant in oil with Venezuela.
part of a multinational effort to combat drug trafficking and other transnational crimes
On Thursday, the United States revealed plans for collaborative military flight exercises in Guyana. This is part of a larger international initiative to address issues such as drug trafficking and other crimes that cross borders.
There is ongoing conflict surrounding a disputed area with abundant oil resources.
The U.N. Security Council was prompted to hold an urgent meeting due to the situation with neighboring Venezuela.
A dispute over the ownership of the Essequibo region has been escalating between Guyana and Venezuela for more than 100 years. Recently, Venezuela held a referendum that it claims showed its citizens support their claim to the area. In response, Guyanese officials have stated their readiness to protect their country and borders in case of any attempted invasion.
The disagreement is involving the global society, as seen by the United States’ declaration of military drills. This indicates that Washington is concerned about the danger posed by the authoritarian socialist government led by President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
stated in a declaration.
The statement indicated that the flights were a regular part of efforts to improve the security partnership between the United States and Guyana, as well as to promote regional cooperation.
“The United States remains dedicated to fulfilling its role as Guyana’s reliable security ally and supporting cooperation and interoperability within the region,” the statement stated.
Officials from both the United States and Guyana have expressed their desire for a peaceful resolution with Venezuela. In a recent interview with CBS News, Guyanese president Irfaan Ali stated that the country would be working with its allies to prepare military resources in case of a worst-case scenario, but emphasized his hope that the situation can be resolved without resorting to conflict.
Guyana is urging for a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means.
Ali informed CBS News that diplomacy serves as our initial form of protection. He mentioned that Guyana has made efforts to communicate with leaders from other countries such as the United States, India, and Cuba. The hope is that these leaders can persuade Venezuela to act in a responsible manner and avoid any reckless actions that could disturb the peace in this area.
The United States has also requested the use of peaceful diplomacy this week, as stated by Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department. In his statement, he urged Venezuela and Guyana to persist in seeking a peaceful resolution to their conflict. He emphasized that a referendum will not resolve the issue.
The Security Council will convene privately on Friday in New York to address the current tensions, as per the latest official schedule.
According to a letter obtained by AFP, the Foreign Minister of Guyana, Hugh Todd, requested the President of the Security Council to promptly convene a meeting to address a serious issue that poses a threat to global peace and security.
Todd stated that Venezuela’s actions pose a clear menace to the peace and security of Guyana, as well as the entire region.
The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed increasing worry about the tension on the northern border of his country. He spoke about this at a summit for the Mercosur regional group, emphasizing that South America does not want war.
On Wednesday, the Brazilian military announced that it would be increasing its presence in the cities of Pacaraima and Boa Vista, which are located along the border with Venezuela. This move is aimed at ensuring the protection of Brazil’s territory.
The discovery of oil increased tensions between Venezuela and Guyana.
The ongoing disagreement regarding the Essequibo, which makes up approximately two-thirds of Guyanese land, has escalated following the discovery of oil by ExxonMobil in 2015.
In the past few days, President Maduro has escalated the situation by stating that he received considerable backing in the referendum held on Sunday regarding the fate of Essequibo.
Essequibo is the residence of 125,000 out of Guyana’s total population of 800,000 people.
There is an ongoing legal dispute at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague regarding the delineation of borders in the region. However, Venezuela does not acknowledge the court’s authority in this case.
During a phone conversation on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the United States’ unwavering backing for Guyana’s sovereignty and urged for a peaceful resolution.
Guyana, a country that was once a territory of both Britain and the Netherlands, maintains that the boundaries of Essequibo were established by a panel of arbitrators in 1899. However, Venezuela argues that the Essequibo River, located to the east of the region, serves as a natural boundary that has been recognized since as early as 1777.
In response to Guyana’s actions of selling oil blocks in Essequibo in August, Caracas held a referendum.
Voters were prompted to answer a total of five inquiries, such as their stance on Venezuela’s refusal to accept the 1899 arbitration ruling and the jurisdiction of the ICJ.
The individuals were also inquired about their opinion on granting Venezuelan citizenship to the current Guyanese residents of a potential “Guyana Esequiba” nation.
Ariana Cubillos / AP
According to authorities in Caracas, the majority of voters, 95 percent, were in favor of the measures.
On Tuesday, Maduro proposed a bill to create a Venezuelan province in Essequibo and ordered the state oil company to start issuing licenses for extracting crude in the region.
The president asserted the outcome of the referendum and also issued a three-month deadline for oil companies operating under Guyana’s concessions to cease operations.
Ali described Maduro’s comments as a direct danger to his nation.
A report was made on Wednesday about a Guyanese military helicopter that went missing near the border with seven individuals on board. However, an official stated that there was no evidence indicating that Venezuela was involved.
On Wednesday, Venezuela confirmed the October arrest of an American citizen named Savoi Jadon Wright. He was accused of “conspiring” with ExxonMobil to prevent the referendum.
The ICJ issued a ruling last week, two days prior to the referendum, instructing Venezuela to abstain from making any changes that would alter the current state of the disputed territory.
However, it did not approve Guyana’s urgent plea to halt the voting process.
Source: cbsnews.com