The US has stated that it will perform flight operations in Guyana that expand upon its regular involvement, while Britain and Brazil have raised worries about the increasing border tensions between Guyana and Venezuela.
The ongoing dispute regarding the oil-rich Essequibo territory, currently under the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), intensified over the weekend as Venezuelan voters rejected the ICJ’s authority and supported the establishment of a new Venezuelan state.
Guyana has expressed doubts about the validity of the vote, placed its military on heightened readiness, and accused Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, of ignoring the orders of the ICJ to refrain from altering the current state of affairs in Essequibo.
The remarks made by Maduro regarding allowing oil exploration in the region sparked strong disapproval from Guyanese president Irfaan Ali. He aimed to reassure investors, like Exxon, who have significant offshore projects in Guyana.
The recent actions taken by Venezuela were deemed concerning, unjustified, and should be stopped, according to a statement by Britain’s Foreign Office on social media.
The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed growing worry and proposed that international organizations should assist in finding a peaceful resolution. He also mentioned the possibility of Brazil hosting negotiations.
Lula expressed his disapproval of war in South America, stating that it is unwanted and unnecessary.
According to a high-ranking military official, Brazil’s army intelligence has identified an increase in Venezuelan military presence near the border with Guyana.
The US embassy in Georgetown announced that the US Southern Command, responsible for security cooperation in Latin America, will be carrying out flight operations with the Guyanese military in Guyana on Thursday.
This task expands on regular involvement and activities to improve the security alliance between the United States and Guyana, and to reinforce regional collaboration.
On Wednesday, Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, had a conversation with Ali and restated the US’s strong backing for Guyana’s independence, according to the state department.
Experts and insiders in Caracas have suggested that the referendum was a move by Maduro to demonstrate his power and measure his administration’s backing before the 2024 election, rather than indicating an actual possibility of military intervention.
The government of Maduro detained Roberto Abdul, a member of the opposition, on Wednesday for suspected treason related to the referendum. They also issued warrants for three members of María Corina Machado’s presidential campaign team.
According to the lawyer representing Machado’s party, the employees consistently behaved in an appropriate manner.
A spokesperson from the US Department of State stated that they are aware of the issued arrest warrants and are closely observing the situation.
Source: theguardian.com
