The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, ordered this Sunday the withdrawal of “part of the aero-naval resources” deployed on its Atlantic façade before the “departure” of the British warship from “disputed waters” with Guyana, a country with which the Essequibo territory, of about 160,000 square kilometers, is disputed.
The Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino, reported on X (formerly Twitter) of the order given by the head of state, which It consists of “a new phase” of a “defensive operation” activated since Thursday in the Atlantic Ocean, in response to the arrival of the British Navy's HMS Trent to the Guyanese coast, which once again triggered tension between both South American countries.
After the announcement of the ship's arrival, Venezuela deployed 5,682 “combatants”, 28 aircraft and 16 boats, among other machinery, for these exercises.
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Padrino warned this Sunday that the members of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) will remain “alert and vigilant” in the face of “any provocation,” and hopes that the agreements signed between Caracas and Georgetown on December 14, when they promised not to threaten each other and avoid incidents related to the dispute, will be respected.
The minister added that these agreements, signed during a meeting in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines led by Maduro and his Guyanese counterpart, Irfaan Ali, are “today, without a doubt, a guarantee of peace in the region.”
Given the departure of the British warship HMS “Trent” from the disputed waters, the C/J @NicolasMaduro has ordered to move to a new phase of the “Sifontes” Joint Action Exercise and to withdraw part of the air-naval resources to their respective bases. Likewise, he congratulated… pic.twitter.com/L4Z2fBy4yL
— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) December 31, 2023
For his part, the operational strategic commander of the FANB, Domingo Hernández Lárez, explained that, in this “new phase” of the operation, after the “withdrawal of the attack means to their bases of origin”, The military forces will carry out “patrol and supply missions in interior areas.”
Guyana had insisted that the ship's arrival “does not represent a threat to anyone” and that it is committed to maintaining “peaceful relations” with Venezuela.
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On Thursday, the British Government asked Venezuela to cease its “unjustified actions” against Guyana, and then Caracas warned that it will give the United Kingdom a “timely and legitimate” response to its “threatening behavior.”
Brazil, one of the main mediators in the territorial conflict, expressed its “concern” about the “military demonstrations”, and assured that these actions are contrary to the commitments assumed in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The controversy escalated after Venezuela approved on December 3, in a unilateral referendum, to annex Essequibo, and the Maduro Government will order the settlement of a military division near the area in dispute, among other measures.
Padrino also assured this Sunday that, in 2024, the FANB will continue with “the defense of Guayana Esequiba”, as Caracas calls this disputed territory, rich in natural resources.
EFE
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