Brazilian naval vessels visit Port Georgetown

May 23, 2009 News

Guyana and its giant South American neighbour, Brazil, will soon sign a defence agreement, Brazilian Ambassador, Arthur Meyer, announced yesterday.

The Brazilian Naval vessel, the Bracui, could be described as the ‘twin’ of Coast Guard’s flagship vessel, the GDFS Essequibo. The Brazilian vessel was one of three that visited Guyana yesterday.

He said the agreement will broaden the range of military training and the exchange of information and will also seek to harmonise procurement policies on the purchase of military equipment in the context of the South American Defence Council.

Meyers made the announcement while speaking with reporters after a brief tour of three Brazilian naval vessels visiting Guyana on a goodwill mission.

Meyers could not give a specific date when the agreement would be signed.

The three ships of the Brazilian army sailed into Guyanese waters in the course of an operation called the Caribbean Exercise – CARIBEX.

On March 21, these ships – the Bracui, the Goiana and the Guanabara – departed Natal in the northeast of Brazil and commenced their voyage along the Atlantic Coast of Brazil and continued to Port-of-Spain, San Juan, Havana and La Guaira.

The ships sailed to Guyana for a one-day visit, arriving Thursday night. One of its objectives was to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the Armed Forces of Brazil and Guyana.

The ships departed Guyana with two members of the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard onboard.

Lieutenant Andre Cush and Able Rating Kenroy Fraser will participate in instruction activities until the final destination of the ships in Natal on June 9.

One of the ships, the Bracui, is similar to Guyana’s flagship vessel – the GDFS Essequibo.