2023-12-25 17:18:50
London announced this Sunday the shipment of a military patrol ship to support Guyana. The former British colony is going through a crisis over the Essequibo, a territory rich in oil claimed by Venezuela. Caracas reacted by denouncing a “provocation.”
“El HSM Trent will visit our regional allies and fellow Commonwealth Guyana later this month as part of a series of engagements in the region during their Atlantic patrol deployment,” a British Ministry of Defense spokesperson said.
Essequibo, a jungle area that is difficult to access and full of natural resources. Photo: archive
THE British ship that currently is deployed in the Caribbean to fight drug trafficking, it will change its mission to reach Guyanese territory, according to the same source.
The BBC, the United Kingdom’s public radio, television and Internet service, assures that it is a show of military and diplomatic support to the country. The media outlet noted that the ship will participate in military maneuvers with other allies of Guyana, but without specifying which ones.
In addition to belonging to the Commonwealth, The country was a British colony until 1966when it became independent and changed its name from British Guiana to Guyana.
“The United Kingdom can give you everything you need to face Venezuela. Let us remember that Venezuela already has an important military deployment. Then the United Kingdom can give it weapons, naval equipment, training, military intelligence,” Guyanese professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in New York, explains to RFI.
The expert also highlights the importance of diplomatic and financial assistance from London for the litigation in the International Court of Justice. “Guyana, which is a very small country, have to pay lawyers to defend him in The Hague. The United Kingdom could assume part of the expenses, and this is also an important help to take into account,” adds the expert.
Venezuela denounces a ‘provocation’
“A warship in waters to be delimited? And then? And the commitment to good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence? And the agreement not to threaten and use force against each other under any circumstances? We remain alert to these provocations! “that put the peace and stability of the Caribbean and our America at risk!” wrote the Venezuelan Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, on the at the meeting on December 14.
A warship in waters to be delimited? And then? And the commitment to good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence? And the agreement not to threaten and use force against each other under any circumstances?
We remain alert to these provocations that put the… pic.twitter.com/7nqifgGULn
— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) December 24, 2023
Guyana and Venezuela “agreed that they will not directly or indirectly threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances, including those arising from any controversy existing between both States,” said part of a joint statement read by Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent. and the Grenadines, host of the meeting in the middle of the month.
Although this is a century-old dispute, The dispute escalated in 2015 after the American oil company ExxonMobil discovered large crude oil deposits. in the area under claim.
Venezuela accuses Guyana of giving concessions in maritime waters to be delimited, and after a referendum on the area under claim, on December 3, it began a process to grant licenses from the state-owned PDVSA in disputed waters.
The consultation also approved creating a province of Venezuela in the region and giving nationality to its inhabitants.
With information from RFI and AFP
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