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Fear and punishment

Dec 02, 2023 Editorial

Kaieteur News – President Ali has said it. Vice President Jagdeo has said much of the same thing.  Guyana’s head of state has said there is ‘absolutely nothing to fear’ from Venezuela. The former head of state has scorched ‘fearmongers’ and spoke of Venezuela not going ‘unpunished’ should it push matters beyond the brink in Guyana.  It cannot be denied that, as far as words go, these expressions and postures of Guyana’s two national leaders have some resonance to them, seek to soothe agitations in the local population, and remind Venezuelan leaders that they are playing a dangerous game, which could backfire.

The words of the President and Vice President may help to reduce some of the fear in some Guyanese.  We applaud them, and encourage them to be more visible, to speak calmly and wisely.  Wherever Guyanese are, they want to see their leaders in the forefront and coming out sensibly against Venezuelan ambitions over this country’s land and its storehouse of assets.  Though Guyanese may fear less, it appears that there is no fear in Venezuela.  There is no fear of Guyana’s strengths, which are not significant to begin with, and there is no fear of Guyana’s friends.  The same lack of fear goes for any allies that Guyana may collect along the way.

The reality is that Venezuela has been hanging on by a thread for years, due to the deep impacts of crippling American sanctions. Though not uttered in the public domain, the thinking in the higher elevations of Venezuela’s leadership could be that many sanctions have been implemented, and that they have all been endured.  At a very painful price, to be sure; but nevertheless, Venezuela has managed to survive in one piece, and has not descended into chaos. So whatever else could be in store through international pressures and punishing penalties, they have been dealt before, and they will be again.  Especially when the stakes are so high, as in the vast Essequibo region, and the prizes are so rich and irresistible.  Like seasoned criminals, committed politicians often are not fazed by the grim logic of deterrence. The proof of who should fear and who is fearful, should not be long in coming.

On the Guyana side, President and Vice President frequently remind Guyana that appealing to the international community is the centerpiece of Guyana’s strategy in this border controversy.  The concern that has some traction is whether Venezuela cares at all.  It has been a pariah so long that desperation has taken firm hold of the country’s leaders.  We all know too well that the desperate are prone to miscalculate, and make misjudgments, as in overplay their hand.  The pressures on President Nicolas Maduro have to be enormous, but we are not shedding any tears for him, since he is the one responsible for the current monstrous state of affair relative to the border controversy.  He is engaging in a highwire act, and any slip of his can result in the shockwaves being felt across Guyana.

While the government’s leaders have been on the move, and saying the right things to Guyanese who may be nervous, the coolness of commonsense has to prevail.  It is better to harness Guyana’s strengths, and to refine those for maximum effect.  The messages about not fearing, and standing up for sacred territorial integrity have to be part of a broad-based program that encircles the government and the opposition.  This is about national governance, national protection, and national continuity, and it is mandatory that any appearance of the regular divisive politics rearing its ugly head be snuffed out immediately.  National unity and national harmony are more than a nice situation to be in presently, both are compulsory, and this should be without any pushback, any hedging, and any games being played by anyone.

The Venezuelan crisis has all the indications of a severely wounding situation for Guyanese.  Sober heads must be the order of the day, and a full head (one head) of steam should propel forward.  If there is reluctance to master the fear of one another, then it becomes extremely difficult to conquer whatever comes from Venezuela, when there is lingering in a disunited state.

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