Brazil urges Guyana, Venezuela to refrain from military demonstrations

Dec 30, 2023 News

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…amid tensions over deployment of British war ship to Guyana

Kaieteur News – The Brazilian Government on Friday urged Guyana and Venezuela to avoid “military demonstrations” as it expressed concerns after tension rose over the deployment of a British war ship to Guyana.

On Sunday, it was announced that the HMS Trent – an offshore patrol vessel has been re-tasked and enroute to Guyana to take part in joint exercise after Christmas in Guyana.

While Guyanese authorities have said that the vessel is part of Guyana building its defensive capability. In response, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday ordered the activation of military exercises of over 5,000 troops on the eastern Caribbean of Venezuela (near the Essequibo territory).

In a statement, Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in a statement said, “The Brazilian government is following the latest developments in the dispute surrounding the Essequibo region with concern.”

It was stated too, “The Brazilian government believes that military demonstrations of support for any party must be avoided, so that the ongoing dialogue process can produce results.” Brazil also urged both countries to contain themselves and resume talks.

Venezuela has historically claimed Guyana’s Essequibo region as its own despite its initial acceptance of the 1899 Arbitral Award that gives Guyana control of the Essequibo. With Venezuela renewing its claim to the territory, the border controversy is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

On December 3, the Venezuelan government held its controversial referendum to put the border controversy to a national vote. On December 14, President Irfaan Ali and President Maduro met in St. Vincent and the Grenadines where they both signed the Argyle ‘Peace’ Declaration.

Brazil called on both countries to stay true to the Argyle Declaration and underscored that the declaration for peace and dialogue signed by both countries was “a milestone in efforts to peacefully address the issue.”

“The two countries also agreed to cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground and unilateral measures that could lead to an escalation of the situation,” Brazil’s statement said.

Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday underscored Guyana’s support for the Argyle Declaration, emphasising the country’s commitment to non-interference with Venezuela.

“We don’t have any plan to take offensive actions against Venezuela…” Jagdeo said on Thursday.

“Whatever we do here is routine and it has been long planned…not necessarily to fight wars but to police better our exclusive economic zone and our territorial integrity and sovereignty. So we respect the Argyle declaration and President Maduró needs to understand this,” the Vice President continued.

“Venezuela has the right to defend itself, to tranquility, to peace,” Maduro said Thursday on state TV, while accusing Guyana of violating an agreement signed two weeks ago to continue talks over the oil-rich territory without the use of arms. “We do not accept provocations, threats from anything or anyone.”

Responding to the statements coming out of Venezuela, Jagdeo said that “Nothing that we do or will do have threatened Venezuela, we don’t plan on invading Venezuela, President Maduró knows this and he needs not to have any worry about that and he has had that assurance given to him in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Jagdeo underscored that Guyana has never done anything in the past or any of its future actions is to harm or affect Venezuela and the territory of Venezuela. President Irfaan Ali on Thursday evening echoed Jagdeo’s sentiment, expressing Guyana’s dedication to peaceful relations and denying any territorial ambitions beyond its borders.

Ali said, “Neither Venezuela nor any other State has anything to fear from activities within Guyana’s sovereign territory or waters. I have reiterated before that we harbour no ambitions or intentions to covet what does not belong to us. We are fully committed to peaceful relations with our neighbours and all countries in our Region. Guyana remains fully steadfast in promoting and advancing peace whilst pursuing national development.”

President Ali said too that Guyana has long been engaged in partnerships with regional and international states aimed at enhancing internal security.

“These partnerships pose a threat to no one and are in no way intended to be aggressive or constitute an offensive act against any State. I wish to renew my best wishes to the people of Venezuela, our neighbours,” Ali added.

The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the HMS Trent would take part in joint exercises after Christmas in Guyana. HMS Trent had been deployed to the Caribbean to search for drug smugglers but was re-tasked after Venezuela’s government threatened to annex the Essequibo region of Guyana earlier this month – BBC reported.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told the BBC: “HMS Trent will visit regional ally and Commonwealth partner Guyana later this month as part of a series of engagements in the region during her Atlantic Patrol Task deployment.”

In a statement on Thursday, the Venezuelan Government condemned the arrival of HMS Trent in Guyana waters, terming it a hostile provocation and a breach of the Argyle Declaration, urging Guyana to withdraw the vessel.

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• Brazilian Government, Guyana, Military, President, Venezuela

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