Why are the Americans flexing their military muscles near Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana?

May 24, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

According to news source, the May News Navy 2020 Naval Maritime Defence Industry, the US military is currently engaged in the deployment of its SOUTHCOM, the US Southern command, in the southern Caribbean just offshore Venezuela and Guyana. This military force consists of hardware including littoral combat ships and destroyers, AWACS surveillance aircraft and ground Special Forces.
The last time the Americans deployed such a large flotilla of war ships in the Caribbean was in 1989 when Panama was invaded to remove Manuel Noriega from power on the grounds he was a dictator who controlled the outcomes of elections, and that he faced drug charges in the USA.
The Americans have stated that the reason for the current military build up is against the Nicolas Maduro Government of Venezuela where Maduro is accused by the Americans of rigging the last elections and drug running. But it would appear that this military build up has wider implications for the region. Venezuela sits on the world’s largest proven oil reserves and ,with the new discoveries offshore in Guyana and Surinam, has catapulted the northern part of South America into an area of geo-political interest where the powerful countries juggle to get a piece of the action. Wherever there is massive oil resources the big players are bound to get involved.

The Chinese have developed a strong economic presence in Suriname and there is a strong Russian military presence in Venezuela. Elections are due in Suriname on the 25th May 2020 where the current President Desi Bouterse is defending a very slim parliamentary majority. He was convicted of murder and drug running and his son is currently in prison in the US for drug smuggling . President Desi Bouterse is no friend of the USA and the Americans will be watching the outcome of this elections very closely.

In Guyana, both the Americans and Chinese have built up presence in the oil sector and both the Chinese and the Americans have plans to assist in the development of Guyana , but the American offer for assistance is premised on the return of full democracy something which the Chinese government cares less about. The Chinese have a policy of non-interference in the political structure of a country as long as they can foster their economic interest through their Belt and Road Initiative.
Should Granger be sworn in on the basis of fictitious election results and a government is formed, this would mean that the US offer for assistance to develop Guyana will be truncated and the door will be open wide for the Chinese to move in unhindered. From a geo-political standpoint, this would not sit comfortably with the US as this would mean that they would have diminished geo-political influence in their own backyard, with the Russians in Venezuela and the Chinese in Guyana and Surinam. From a Guyanese perspective, the loss of a major player at a time when Guyana can make astronomical strides in its development to quickly move from the status of a third world country to a highly developed state would be greatly hindered.
Over eighty days have passed without the declaration of final election results in Guyana. Fraudulent declaration of Region Four tabulation by Clairmont Mingo, the Returning officer, as witnessed by election observers including the Ambassadors of the US, UK, EU, CARICOM, The Carter Center, the OAS and others have led to a recount of all ballots. The current recount of the ballots for Region Four , where the fraud took place, have so far mirrored the statement of polls issued at the polling stations after the votes were counted on March 2nd, confirming Mingo’s subsequent fraudulent tabulation.
Given the current and fast moving election see-saw currently at play , the Americans, as the promoter and defender of democracy in the West, are bound to take action if Granger railroads democracy in Guyana . Only recently the Ambassador of the US to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch says that the threat of sanctions hangs over Guyana over electoral fraud .She also refers to the strong statements coming from Washington, The National Security Council , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Assistant Secretary Michael Kozak. Secretary Mike Pompeo pointed to serious consequences if the democratic process , the rule of law, and the principles of democracy are not followed in Guyana.
Granger has signalled to the Guyanese people and the world his clear intentions – he intends to control the outcome of the elections just like what Manuel Noreiga did in Panama in 1989. But he will not succeed given the geo-political importance of Guyana to the Americans and the West. Granger stopped the Carter Center and the International Republican Institute from observing the re-count using Covid-19, but what he cannot stop is the American fleet which is anchored just off the shores of Guyana equipped with combat ships and ready to take action should he attempt to swear himself in as the President of Guyana based on fraudulent election results.
Yours truly,
Harry Beharry