Venezuelan authorities have expressed their concern about Guyana's plans to reinforce its military capabilities amid ongoing tensions over the oil-rich Essequibo region and announced a plan for the transformation of its Armed Forces in response.
Guyanese authorities have allocated US$ 201 million to update the South American country's military equipment as tensions with Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo mount. Helicopters, maritime surveillance vessels, and at least one drone will be acquired, President Irfaan Ali announced. Ali said his government would focus on technology items for the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) and on cooperation with allied countries.
A total of 28 armored vehicles have been deployed to the State of Roraima as the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva takes additional precautions amid mounting tension between Venezuela and Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo region, Agencia Brasil reported.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will take on a series of international engagements next month, including a Caricom Summit in Guyana, Agencia Brasil reported. He will also be traveling to Egypt on Feb. 15 and 16 to thank his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sissi for his support in pulling out Brazilian nationals and their families from the Gaza Strip.
Diplomatic teams from Venezuela and Guyana are to discuss Thursday in Brazil the dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo area in control of the latter since the 1890s.
In a year-ending interview with Le Monde Diplomatique's Ignacio Ramonet, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said his Guyanese counterpart Irfaan Ali was mocking his country and other regional multilateral organizations who sponsored the St Vincent and the Grenadines understanding whereby the dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo area would not escalate.
The United Kingdom said Venezuelan President Nicolàs Maduro's decision to up his country's military readiness over the Essequibo dispute with Guyana was unjustified. The Bolivarian forces deployed over 5,000 troops in response to the arrival in the area of the Royal Navy's HMS Trent.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered preventive measures be taken as the Royal Navy's HMS Trent was reaching the area to side with Guyana amid tensions over the disputed oil-rich Essequibo area.
Amid escalating concerns about the Essequibo crisis with neighboring Venezuela, Guyana has been included in the list of greatest risk for maritime transport drafted by insurers Lloyd's Market Association for vessels visiting offshore facilities in the former British colony's Exclusive Economic Zone, beyond territorial waters.
British Minister for the Americas, Caribbean, and Overseas Territories David Rutley met Monday in Georgetown with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali to reaffirm the United Kingdom's support to the South American country in their controversy with Venezuela over the 160,000 km2 oil-rich Essequibo region.