Guyana denounces Venezuela’s military deployment near the border between both countries

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of GuyanaHugh Todd, denounced this Saturday the military deployment of Venezuela near its border, within the framework of the territorial dispute between both countries over the Essequibo region.

Todd stated that the actions of Venezuela they have a “double standard” because satellite images show a growing expansion of the Venezuelan military presence Near the border.

“There are some inconsistencies based on what they are doing on the international front in terms of diplomacy and what they are doing at home in terms of their military posture.“said the Foreign Minister.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), based in USApublished several satellite images that revealed that Venezuela was expanding its military base on Ankoko Island and in the Punta Barima area, near Guyana.

Todd explained that he had already conveyed his concerns to his Venezuelan counterpart, Yvan Gil, at the Joint Commission meeting held last month in Brasilia, Brazil.

At the meeting at the end of January, both countries committed to continuing dialogue on the controversy surrounding the Essequibo region and even addressing the 1966 Geneva Agreement.

Likewise, the Guyanese Foreign Minister reiterated the position of Guyana that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would be the only mechanism that would be used to resolve the dispute and its commitment to reaching a solution peacefully.

On the other hand, the president of GuyanaIrfaan Ali, announced on Thursday that he is planning a restructuring of the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) by investing in equipment focused on technologyassets and collaboration with allied countries.

The differences over the border limits around Essequibo, which occupies two thirds of the territory of Guyana and? Venezuela claims for more than a century, began with the Paris Arbitration Award of 1899, which gave sovereignty of the territory to the then British Guyana.

Venezuela decades later declared that ruling null and void and signed with the United Kingdom the Geneva Agreement of 1966, which determined to create a commission to resolve the historic controversy, which did not materialize.

Venezuela defends the 1966 Agreement as a legal instrument to resolve the dispute over Essequibo, a jungle region of 160,000 square kilometers administered by Guyanarich in oil, gold and diamonds, among other minerals and precious stones.

However, Guyana It is based on the arbitration award of 1899 and is committed to resolving the territorial conflict through the process opened in the ICJ.