Guyana must prepare for any eventuality after U.S. strike on Venezuela – APNU

Jan 04, 2026 News

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…WIN warns of consequences; FGM calls for information on protective measures

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana’s opposition parties have called on the Irfaan Ali-led administration to ensure protective measures are in place, maintain transparency, and involve all stakeholders in preparing the country for potential crises following the capturing of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on Saturday morning.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) urged the government to immediately activate contingency plans, particularly to address the potential humanitarian and security crisis along the western border.

The party outlined that Guyana has find itself in a very precarious position – emphasizing the need to think and act strategically.

“While our position on the territorial controversy remains fixed on the International Court of Justice (ICJ), process and international law, the unfolding situation demands a pragmatic, and comprehensive national response to a probable immediate movement of displaced persons seeking refuge,” the party said in a statement on Saturday.

To this end, APNU outlined four suggestions to the government which includes:   formalize a humanitarian task force; designate and prepare reception areas; and enhance border monitoring & security protocols. APNU also called for government to engage regional & international partners proactively.

“Formally alert CARICOM, the UNHCR, and the Red Cross to the potential need for logistical and financial support, ensuring Guyana is not left to bear a disproportionate burden as a result of the influx of Venezuelans,” the party said.

APNU stressed the importance of inclusive decision-making during this period, in the face of a potential emergency.

“There is need for an approach that transcends partisan politics. We stand ready to lend our full support to the promotion and protection of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We offer our cooperation in developing legislative measures, mobilizing community-based support networks, and providing bipartisan political backing for the necessary resource allocations to protect both vulnerable people and our nation’s stability,” APNU stated.

The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) echoed the call for preparedness, noting that the U.S. action in Venezuela fundamentally alters the geopolitical and security environment in which Guyana operates.

“This moment demands national unity, institutional maturity, and responsible leadership. Guyana has had to continuously contend with sustained pressure and micro-aggressions from Venezuela arising out of its unlawful claim to Essequibo. Those tensions do not disappear because of regime change; in fact, they may intensify in unpredictable ways,” the party said.

Further, WIN made a call for peace in the region. It stated that stability in the Caribbean and South America serves the interests of all peoples and must be pursued through diplomacy, international law, and mutual respect.

The party highlighted potential risks, including cross-border movement, refugee flows, retaliatory actions by Venezuelan actors within Guyana, and threats to citizens, infrastructure, and economic stability. It also stressed the need for regional peace and adherence to diplomacy and international law.

“In circumstances such as these, no responsible government governs alone. Yet the Guyana government has chosen a path of unilateralism. It has refused to meaningfully engage the Opposition on matters of national security and effectively sidelined Parliament. This deliberate exclusion undermines Guyana’s ability to present a coherent, national response to a regional crisis. National security is not a party matter. It is not a PPP matter or an opposition matter. It is a Guyana matter,” WIN said.

The party called for an immediate meeting with the Opposition to discuss security, humanitarian, and diplomatic implications and urged a briefing to the nation on risks, preparedness, and Guyana’s stance. WIN also called for the Opposition Leader to be elected so that the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Security Sector can collectively review policy.

WIN added, “Silence, exclusion, and executive control are not strength. In moments of regional instability, unity is strength, transparency is strength, and constitutional governance is strength. Guyana cannot afford division or democratic paralysis at a time when regional tensions may spill across our borders. Leadership now requires engagement, not avoidance; consultation, not control; and nationhood, not partisanship.”

Meanwhile, Forward Movement Guyana (FGM) warned that the removal of Venezuela’s president marks a dangerous turn for the region.

“Moments like this test the resolve of governments and expose whether leaders are prepared to defend national interests with clarity, competence, and courage. Small states do not have the luxury of complacency. We must be deliberate, strategic, and fully informed,” the party stated.

FGM also called on the government for transparency, stressing that limited or disjointed information undermines public confidence. “The Government of Guyana has a duty to speak plainly, to brief the nation honestly, and to make clear what risks are being assessed and what measures are already in place to protect our borders, our citizens, and our national assets,” FGM said.

Further, the party urged immediate briefings to Parliament and the nation on the situation in Venezuela, protective measures in place, and contingency plans for potential escalation.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Ramotar condemned the U.S. action, saying it violated international law.

“The bombing of Venezuela and the kidnapping of that country’s president and first Lady has taken us back to the days of gunboat diplomacy. International laws are being trampled on and totally disregarded   Sovereignty of small and medium sized countries have become meaningless and the US has emerged as a Super Colonial power,” the former president said,” he said.

The former president warned that regional countries are being pressured to support the U.S. and linked the action to broader U.S. and Israeli interventions.  He said, “What has happened early this morning is a continuation of the US and Israel’s action in Palestine and unless the peaceful and democratic forces of our world unite, we will see more of the same Cuba and Iran may be next.”

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• Amanza Walton-Desir, APNU, Aubrey Norton, Donald Ramotar, U.S. strike, Venezuela

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