Venezuelan gangs harassing river passengers in Cuyuni River

Dec 11, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Residents of Eteringband, Region Seven are reporting that heavily armed Venezuelan men, dressed in all black clothing and wearing military like shoes are preventing Guyanese vessels from passing freely in the Cuyuni River.

According reports reaching Kaieteur News river passengers are being harassed. “It has been over two months since we have not had a commercial flight…now most travelling here is taking place through the [Cuyuni] River and Guyanese boats are being stopped and searched with passengers on board at gunpoint because of these gorillas (an armed Venezuelan gang called Guerilleros in Spanish)”, the businessman (name provided) told this newspaper.

A photo of the Eteringbang landing

The businessman explained that the situation started two months ago where the passengers’ belongings are taken away from them by the armed Venezuelans. The man disclosed that should a boat refuse to stop at the various checkpoints along the Cuyuni River in close proximity to an area called San Martin, for example, they are shot at.

Kaieteur News understands that the uniformed gang claims that they represent the Venezuelan Government and is acting on its behalf.

However, the locals at Eteringbang do not believe the claims because the Venezuelan army and National Guard have checkpoints along the Cuyuni River too but the ranks do not harass Guyanese travellers as is being done by the gang.

This situation has been on and off for a number of years and has prompted Guyana to beef up its security.

In 2018 a gang of armed men standing on the Venezuelan side of the border in the vicinity of Botanamu creek, Cuyuni River had opened fire on a boat heading from Eteringbang to Macapa. One of the bullets struck a Police Corporal onboard, Quincy Alexander, to his lower back.

The Cop survived and has since been transferred to another location but the gangs remain a threat to Guyanese in the River.

Eteringbang residents related that they are aware that Guyanese ranks cannot cross over into Venezuelan territory to confront the gangs.

However, they are calling on Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips to intervene and negotiate with his Venezuelan counterpart to rid the Cuyuni River of the illegal gangs that have been harassing them for years.

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