Venezuela army detains two Guyanese soldiers

Mar 22, 2024 News

Guyanese soldiers being forced to return bags of sand they were using to construct an airstrip at Eteringbang

– forced them to return sand for airstrip construction

Kaieteur News – Two Guyanese soldiers were on Wednesday detained by the Venezuelan army while performing their duties in the Cuyuni River at Eteringbang, Region Seven.

Eteringbang is located at one of Guyana’s borders with Venezuela. It is unclear why the soldiers were detained and up to press time Kaieteur News was still unaware if they were released. However, Kaieteur News was told that the detention might have to do with the rights to sand and stone found in the Cuyuni River. The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works has undertaken a $214.5M project to upgrade the Eteringbang airstrip from laterite to a concrete paved one.

An armed Venezuelan Soldier walking back to his army truck with the sized sand sacks.

They have been sourcing the sand and stone for the construction from sand banks found in the Cuyuni River. At around 14: 40 hrs on Wednesday the Venezuelan army stopped a boat that the soldiers were using to shuttle sand and stone to the construction site. Reports are that the Venezuelan army forced the Guyanese soldiers to return all the sand and stone they were transporting to construct the airstrip.

Sources said that army made them dump some of the sand and stone back into the Cuyuni River and seized a few sacks. Kaieteur News understands that the Venezuelan army has issued a stern warning that they will lock-up anyone found using sand and stone from the Cuyuni River.

detained, Eteringbang Airstrip, Guyanese Soldiers, sand, Venezuelan army

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