Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, said the army will remain vigilant on the border shared with Venezuela in light of the most recent attacks by gunmen on Venezuela’s shore.
Brigadier Khan was speaking at a media briefing at Base Camp Ayanganna this evening, hosted to address the current state of events at the border.
The attacks occurred between 13-15 May, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement today.
“The last 48 hours, we’ve had three such incidents. This is unprecedented. The Guyana Defence Force has since the first incident enhanced its operational procedures and adopted drills that would mitigate and react whenever such incidents occur. These drills were executed with success. I’m thankful that no one was injured on our side,” he reported.
Brigadier Khan emphasised that the GDF will continue to monitor the situation, as it has an obligation to protect the territorial integrity of Guyana and its people.
“This is a mission we take seriously…. We will continue to patrol…. to eliminate any threat,” he said.
He also related that a GDF patrol boat conducted an exercise this afternoon in the location in the Cuyuni River where the attacks occurred, without any incident, pointing out that foot and boat patrols will continue.
“Our soldiers are always equipped whenever they conduct their patrols,” he said.
The GDF, he said, is prepared to respond to such provocations from Venezuela.
“We share the border with Venezuela… we are prepared for any eventualities, that is why we continue to patrol the entire border,” the Chief of Defence said.
He also noted that the Guyana Police Force and Coast Guards can patrol, stop, or conduct searches on anyone at the border, while pointing out that the most recent attacks have been reported to Guyana’s international partners.
The attack on the GDF follows a similar incident in February this year, when a group of heavily armed men attacked a GDF patrol vessel from Venezuelan territory, injuring six soldiers.
On 1 March, a Venezuelan naval vessel entered Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and falsely claimed that several vessels, including an ExxonMobil FPSO, were operating in “disputed international waters.” That incursion received wide international condemnation.
The most recent attack reported by the GDF comes days ahead of Venezuela’s purported planned elections in the Essequibo on 25 May, a day before Guyana’s Independence celebrations.
Both residents and leaders in the region have confirmed that preparations for no such activity have taken place. Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has also warned that anyone participating in any such activity organised by Venezuela will be charged with treason.
The Guyana-Venezuela border case is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The ICJ this month ordered Venezuela to refrain from conducting or preparing to conduct elections in the territory currently of Essequibo administered by Guyana, pending a final ruling in the case.
Guyana has maintained that the border matter with Venezuela was definitively settled in the 1899 Arbitral Award.
