US pronounces flight drills, stresses ‘unwavering help’ for Guyana’s sovereignty amid rising border tensions.
The United States has mentioned it’s going to conduct joint flight drills with Guyana amid rising border tensions between Guyana and Venezuela.
The long-running dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo area, which is being heard by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), escalated over the weekend when voters in Venezuela rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction and backed the creation of a brand new Venezuelan state.
The US embassy in Georgetown mentioned in an announcement on Thursday that US Southern Command, which oversees navy operations in Central and South America, would “conduct flight operations with the Guyanese navy” on Thursday.
The assertion mentioned the drills had been a part of “routine engagement and operations to boost [the] safety partnership between the US and Guyana” however has been extensively interpreted as an effort to discourage navy intervention by Venezuela.
Caracas rejected the US announcement of flights as a “provocation”.
Afterward Thursday, White Home nationwide safety spokesperson John Kirby mentioned Washington supported a peaceable decision to the border dispute.
“We completely stand by our unwavering help for Guyana’s sovereignty,” he advised reporters.
Following the vote, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has authorised oil exploration in Essequibo, in a transfer that drew the ire of Guyana President Irfaan Ali.
“We now have initiated numerous precautionary measures to make sure the peace and stability of this area,” Ali mentioned.
“Ought to Venezuela proceed to behave on this reckless and adventurous method, the area should reply,” he advised The Related Press information company.
There are rising issues throughout South America that the tensions may spiral right into a navy confrontation.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva mentioned that multilateral teams should assist discover a peaceable resolution to the dispute.
“We don’t want and we don’t want conflict in South America,” Lula mentioned on Thursday.
The information outlet Reuters reported that Brazil’s military intelligence has detected a build-up in Venezuelan forces close to the border with Guyana, citing an unnamed senior navy official.