MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Essequibo conflict: Brazil sending observer to Maduro-Ali meeting

Celso Amorim, Lula's advisor on international affairs, will be representing Brazil next Thursday in St Vincent and the Grenadines

The Brazilian Government of President Luiz Inácio Lula a Silva shall be sending a delegation headed by former Foreign Minister and current presidential advisor on international affairs Celso Amorim to Thursday's meeting between the leaders of Guyana and Venezuelan in St Vincent and the Grenadines to discuss the Guiana Essequiba issue, it was reported in Brasilia.

The venue for the encounter was offered by Prime Minister Ralph Everard Gonsalves, who also holds the rotating presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), to host Presidents Nicolás Maduro and Irfaan Ali. Gonsalves, 76, has a Marxist background and is known in Cuba as “mini Castro.” Also referred to as “Comrade Ralph,” he is notorious for his closeness to the governments of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Also promoting dialogue together was the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Tensions between the two countries have escalated since Caracas held a referendum on Dec. 3 in which 95 percent of voters -despite the low turnout-agreed to declare the region another province of Venezuela and granting Venezuelan citizenship to its residents.

Last Saturday, Lula urged Maduro in a telephone conversation not to take “unilateral measures” that would intensify the dispute and conveyed to him the “growing concern” of South American countries about the situation.

In this scenario, Brazil reinforced its military presence in the neighboring state of Roraima.

As Maduro and Ali discuss the territorial dispute over the Essequibo, a region of more than 150,000 square kilometers, Amorim is expected to reiterate Brazil's position to abide -in Lula's words- by the region of peace's “long tradition of dialogue.”

Last week, Mercosur countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) urged both parties to solve the Essequibo conflict through diplomatic channels.

Meanwhile, Brazilian Defense Minister José Múcio warned that “under no circumstances” would Maduro use his country's territory to invade Guyana. Múcio also explained that a sea attack would be more complicated given the Essequibo's dense forests.

“They will only arrive in Guyana if they pass through Brazilian territory, and we will not allow that under any circumstances,” Mucio insisted. He also admitted that Brazil was upping its military force in Roraima to avoid “any problems.”

South American countries, as well as Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have in recent days called for détente and a peaceful solution between Venezuela and Guyana.