U.S. fighter jets in flyover in Guyana

May 10, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

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– Venezuela deems exercise an act of provocation

Kaieteur News – Two U.S. Navy aircraft on Thursday made a flyover Guyana’s coast- an exercise deemed by Venezuela as an act of provocation and violation of the Argyle Agremeent signed between the two countries in St Vincent and the Grenadines late last year.

The US F/A-18F Super Hornets, embarked on the USS George Washington conducted the Guyana Defence Force-coordinated and approved flyover of Georgetown and its surrounding areas. The flyover commenced at 2:00 pm, with collaboration and approval from the Government of Guyana, the US Embassy said in a press release.  Members of the public were advised that the exercise was built upon routine security cooperation and bilateral defense partnership between the US and Guyana. “As part of its worldwide defense mission, U.S. Navy vessels routinely transit international waters all over the world conducting similar exercises and exchanges with partners and allies,” the release stated.

Meanwhile, the flyover came on the heels of a visit by U.S. Marine Corps Major General (MajGen) Julie Nethercot, U.S. Southern Command Strategy, Policy, and Plans Director to Guyana between May 6-8.  The Strategy, Policy, and Plans Directorate at U.S. Southern Command oversees strategic planning, policy development, and security cooperation coordination for Latin America and the Caribbean.  The Directorate directly supports U.S. Southern Command’s goals and objectives in deterring aggression, defeating threats, rapidly responding to crises, and working with allies and partner nations to strengthen the region’s capacity to ensure a secure, free, and prosperous Western Hemisphere.  MajGen Nethercot’s visit to Guyana underscores the continued importance and unwavering commitment the United States places on the U.S.-Guyana bilateral defense and security partnership.

During her visit, MajGen Nethercot met with Brigadier Omar Khan, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff, to discuss ongoing security cooperation and security assistance initiatives to advance technology platforms.  Her visit, the second trip to Guyana and signifies the U.S. commitment to partnering with the GDF as it continues to increase its capabilities and expand its force, the embassy stated. “The United States continues to work closely with its partners around the world to strengthen alliances and partnerships by improving interoperability, deepening information-sharing and planning, and conducting complex joint and combined exercises,” the release added.

Venezuela angry

Meanwhile, the exercise was not well received by neighbouring Venezuela. The country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yvan Gil said it was “further proof of the provocations to Venezuela by the US Southern Command” and a breach of the December 14, 2023 Argyle agreement between the two countries.

Gil continued, “The desires of ExxonMobil (an American oil company operating in Guyana) have no limits…They intend to destabilize the region and threaten the peace zone agreed upon by the CELAC countries, while the Government of Guyana violates its international commitments including the Argyle Agreement of 2023”.  The Argyle Agreement was signed after Venezuela made aggressive moves to unlawfully claim the Guyana’s Essequibo as its own.  The Essequibo controversy between the two countries is presently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).  Instead of waiting on the court’s ruling or obeying its orders to maintain peace in the region, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had deployed troops to his borders with Guyana and launched a campaign to illegally annex the Guyana Essequibo.  Despite concerns that his move was a direct threat to peace in the region, Maduro continued his aggression by saying that his military exercise was targeting illegal mining in Venezuelan territories. Not long after he moved to unlawfully declare Essequibo as a state of Venezuela. It sparked major tensions in the Region and it led to Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines organizing a peace talk between Maduro and Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali. The talks were held at the Argyle International Airport on the island and resulted in the December 14, 2023 Argyle declaration signed by the two countries.

The two countries declared as follows:

“1. Agreed that Guyana and Venezuela, directly or indirectly, will not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances, including those consequential to any existing controversies between the two States.

2. Agreed that any controversies between the two States will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement dated February 17, 1966.
3. Committed to the pursuance of good neighborliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.
4. Noted Guyana’s assertion that it is committed to the process and procedures of the International Court of Justice for the resolution of the border controversy. Noted Venezuela’s assertion of its lack of consent and lack of recognition of the International Court of Justice and its jurisdiction in the border controversy.
5. Agreed to continue dialogue on any other pending matters of mutual importance to the two countries.

б. Agreed that both States will refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them. The two States will cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground conducive to tension between them. In the event of such an incident the two States will immediately communicate with one another, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), and the President of Brazil to contain, reverse and prevent its recurrence.

1. Agreed to establish immediately a joint commission of the Foreign Ministers and technical persons from the two States to address matters as mutually agreed. An update from this joint commission will be submitted to the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela within three months.
2. Both States agreed that Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves, the Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the incumbent CARICOM Chairman, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil will remain seized of the matter as Interlocutors and the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres as Observer, with the ongoing concurrence of Presidents Irfaan Ali and Nicolas Maduro. For the avoidance of doubt, Prime Minister Gonsalves’ role will continue even after Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ceases to be the Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, within the framework of the CELAC Troika plus one; and Prime Minister Skerrit’s role will continue as a member of the CARICOM Bureau.
3. Both States agreed to meet again in Brazil, within the next three months, or at another agreed time, to consider any matter with implications for the territory in dispute, including the above-mentioned update of the joint commission.
4. We express our appreciation to Prime Ministers Gonsalves and Skerrit, to President Lula and his Personal Envoy Celso Amorim, to all other CARICOM Prime Ministers present, to the officials of the CARICOM Secretariat, to the CELAC Troika and to the Head of the CELAC PTP Secretariat in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, His Excellency Dr. Douglas Slater, for their respective roles in making this meeting a success.
5. We express our appreciation to the Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for their kind facilitation and hospitality at this meeting.

Dated this 14th day of December, 2023.”

Following the agreement Venezuela agreed to scale back its military aggression and has done so but still recently moved to illegally sign into its law that the Guyana Essequibo is its state despite agreeing that controversies between the two States will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement dated February 17, 1966.

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• Government, Guyana, Guyana Defence Force, U.S. Navy, Venezuela

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