This Thursday Washington and Georgetown carried out joint military air maneuvers. Through the United States Southern Command and the Guyana Defense Force (GDF), both States carried out routine exercises that coincide with the territorial dispute over the Essequibo region between Venezuela and Guyana.
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The regional dispute over the Essequibo has led to an increase in political tensions between Venezuela and other countries on the American continent. This Thursday, the United States Southern Command announced the start of joint military exercises with the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) to reinforce security cooperation between the two States at a time when Georgetown faces a geopolitical crisis with Caracas.
According to a statement released by local Guyanese media, the operations are routine in nature. However, it coincides with critical days in bilateral relations between Venezuela and Guyana.
U.S. military forces will continue to collaborate with the GDF in areas such as disaster preparedness, air and maritime security, and combating transnational crime organizations.
Washington thus reaffirms its commitment to the security of Georgetown, a crucial ally for the security of the region, according to the statement reported by local Guyanese media.
The day before, Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, assured the President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, of the “unconditional support” of the White House with the defense of the sovereignty of the Latin American country. At the same time, the United States official pointed out his country’s call for a “peaceful solution” to the conflict with Venezuela.
On the other hand, the Venezuelan ruling party criticized on Tuesday Guyana’s decision to give the green light to the presence of the Southern Command in the Essequibo area, following Ali’s warning that his country maintains relations with the US military command and ensuring that the GDF is “on high alert.”
Regarding the Essequibo crisis, the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, assured this Thursday that he was closely following matters related to the geopolitical conflict unleashed by Venezuela and that he does so with “increasing concern.”
“We neither want nor need war in South America,” said Lula, within the framework of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) summit.
From Europe, this Thursday, the United Kingdom described Venezuela’s actions regarding the Essequibo dispute as “unjustified.” In turn, he noted that he is concerned about the recent measures of the Venezuelan ruling party in their territorial dispute.
The UK is concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela, with respect to the Essequibo region of Guyana.
We believe this is unjustified and should cease.
We are clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration.
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) December 7, 2023
The Venezuelan Government seeks to legitimize its country’s possession of nearly 160,000 km2 surrounding the Essequibo River, a territory historically fought over with Guyana and rich in oil. Last Sunday, President Nicolás Maduro held a referendum, ratified by 95% of voters according to data from the ruling party, which legitimizes the Executive to propose a law that, de facto, implies the creation of a new Venezuelan province in the area in dispute and allow the Venezuelan state oil company to extract crude oil from there.
Location of missing Guyanese helicopter still uncertain
On December 7, the Guyana Defense Force resumed the search for a military helicopter that had seven people on board and that lost contact 48 kilometers from the border with Venezuela.
Yesterday, the search and rescue missions of the Bell 412 –which was carrying out a mission to visit the troops located on the western border– had to be suspended due to bad weather.
Guyanese President Ali’s national security advisor, Captain Gerald Gouveia, confirmed on his Facebook account that all efforts have been deployed to locate the aircraft and its crew.
Gouveia, without giving further details, stated: “we know exactly where they are”; expressing desire that the atmospheric conditions allow greater visibility this Thursday.
According to official information, the helicopter departed from the Ayanganna Base, in the west of the country at 9:23 local time, with three crew members and four passengers. Just a few hours later, at 11:20 local time, the aircraft sent an emergency alert in the Aru area, also in western Guyana.
For his part, the Chief of the Defense Force Staff, Omar Khan, said in a press conference on Wednesday night that the helicopter landed in Olive Creek to resupply with fuel. However, as Khan points out, after taking off communication was lost.
With EFE and Reuters
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