Latest update September 20th, 2026 10:40 AM
Govt. concerned about narco-terrorism threat
…as U.S. deploys war ships into Caribbean Region
Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana has expressed concern about the threat to peace and security posed by transnational organised crime and narco-terrorism in the region. This disclosure follows the recent announcement that the Donald Trump-administration has ordered the deployment of air and naval forces to the Western Hemisphere to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.
The government said it notes threats to regional peace involving criminal networks such as the Cartel de los Soles of Venezuela, designated as a terrorist organisation by some countries in the region.
“Such criminal networks have the capacity to overwhelm state institutions, undermine democracy, pervert the rule of law and threaten human dignity and development,” it states.
It underscored the necessity for strengthened cooperation and concerted efforts at the national, regional, hemispheric and global levels to effectively combat this menace.
Further, the government of Guyana reaffirmed its support for a collaborative and integrated approach to tackle transnational organised crime.
“We are committed to working with our bilateral partners to find meaningful solutions and will support regional and global initiatives aimed at dismantling criminal networks to safeguard our shared security. By confronting transnational organised crime and narco- terrorism with unity, we reaffirm our dedication to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the region remains a Zone of Peace,” it said.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a short clip shared on the U.S. Department of State’s Facebook page stated that there are designated narco-terrorist groups operating in the region. He noted that some have been utilizing international airspace and waters to transit drugs that he labeled as “poison” into the United States.
“Those groups will be confronted. The president has made that clear from the time he had operated and specific the question was about the Cartel of the Suns, Cartel de los Soles, which is a criminal organisation that happens to masquerade as a government,” he said.
Secretary Rubio added, “The [Nicolas] Maduro regime is not a government, it’s not a legitimate government, we have never recognised them as such. They are a criminal enterprise that basically has taken control of national territory of a country and who by the way are also threatening U.S. oil companies that are operating lawfully in Guyana.”
Rubio noted that President Trump has been clear, that “anything that’s a threat to the national security of the Unites states he’s gonna confront.”
Notably, American oil giant ExxonMobil is the operator of Guyana’s Stabroek block which is estimated to hold 11.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Exxon controls 45% of the block, while Hess, another American oil company controls 30%. The third partner is CNOOC with 25% shares.
Guyana and Venezuela have a case pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region – which makes up two-third of Guyana’s territory and is a resource rich area.
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