Rallying against Venezuela’s aggression

Mar 04, 2025 Editorial, News

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Editorial…

Kaieteur News- Much has been said in this column before about the irrationality of the Nicolas Maduro’s regime and its claim to our Essequibo. Venezuela’s frequent threats to Guyana’s sovereignty on Saturday took a familiar twist.

We have seen this before. Back in 2013 an armed Venezuelan Navy vessel had entered Guyana waters and forced a seismic survey vessel into the neighbouring Republic country where the ship and crew were detained for several days. They pulled the same stunt again on Saturday when an armed Venezuelan patrol ship, Guaiquerí (PO 11), illegally entered Guyana’s shores around 07:00h threatening ExxonMobil Guyana’s Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel, Liza Prosperity.

The Venezuelan patrol vessel transmitted a radio message declaring what it termed “disputed international waters”, before continuing its course in a south westerly direction towards other FPSOs, President Irfaan Ali said in a statement. He made it clear that all of Guyana’s assets and the FPSO are lawfully operating within Guyana’s own Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). “Let me be unequivocal, Guyana’s Maritime boundaries are recognised under international [law] and this incursion is a matter of grave concern,” President Ali added. The Stabroek Block is being operated by U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil Guyana and its partners and contains approximately 11.6B barrels of oil. President Ali made it clear that his government is addressing the situation with seriousness and has already summoned Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Perez, to protest this latest act of aggression. A formal protest will also be made in Caracas by Guyana’s Embassy there.

President Ali and all of Guyana continue to rally against Venezuela’s aggression because to stand up to that country’s hostility requires that everyone be on the same page- thinking and operating as one. This is the only manner in which the ambitions of our neighbour could be given an abrupt wakeup call. We may be small, but we will not be pushovers, as every centimeter of territory would be defended by whatever means it takes. Venezuelan leaders must come to their senses and face reality: their claims on Guyana’s rich territory are without the kind of foundation that can withstand the weight of serious scrutiny. This latest aggressive act by Venezuela has been roundly condemned as was expected, by the international community as well the United States, Commonwealth, the Organisation of American States, CARICOM and even other countries. They have made it clear and unsparing as to where they stand in this matter. It is on the side of Guyana.

But there is appreciation that those are not enough to quell Venezuela’s claim to almost two thirds of this country’s territory. It is rich territory, as proven fairly frequently: there are huge gold finds. There are massive oil deposits found offshore, with more likely. There are minerals and timber galore that would give ideas even to missionaries. Any single segment of this rich package of natural resource endowments could lead to bordering countries concocting territorial schemes to feather their nests.

In addition, politicians in countries that live with continuing domestic economic distresses have been known to engage in foreign adventures to distract their angry and besieged populations. This is what could be at work in Venezuela, but whatever it is, our neighbour’s leaders have been put on notice: this country and its peoples are not going to roll over and cave before their naked ambitions, their deplorable manipulations. The fact that this country is highly polarised should not be seen as an incentive or invitation by Venezuela to test its visions. If there is one issue on which Guyanese have to cast aside their hard differences and close ranks, it is on this border issue. It was therefore heartwarming to see the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Aubrey Norton and President Ali meeting-showing solidarity on this issue. There is simply no other choice, for to do otherwise would tear this country apart like it has never been before. Mr. Norton is leader of a party that has a proud track record of mounting the strongest possible defence against Venezuela’s expansionist ambitions and they have been consistent on their commitment to the defence of Guyana’s sovereignty. So as we navigate this period of tension, Guyana must continue to galvanise all the support it can, not least in the Caribbean, because Venezuela’s claim on Guyana’s territory and its use of armed force threaten the peace of the Caribbean region and as former President David Granger once said, that country’s expansionist ambitions cannot be allowed to “unsettle the principle of inviolability of borders, undermine the tenets of international law and unravel borders which have been undisturbed for decades.”

(Rallying against Venezuela’s aggression)

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• Editorial, ExxonMobil Guyana’s, Floating Production Storage Offloading, Guyana waters, Venezuelan Navy vessel

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