MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela steps up Essequibo deployment amid dispute with Guyana

Guyanese President Irfaan Ali called the construction of a bridge on Ankoko Island an “illegitimate claim”

Venezuela's Bolivarian regime has built a bridge reaffirming its sovereignty claims over Guyana Essequiba. The provisional structure will allow the arrival of heavier machinery for the definitive bridge, it was explained. Last Thursday, a fixed bridge over the Cuyuní River on the island of Anacoco was inaugurated as part of the Venezuelan government's efforts to reaffirm its sovereignty over that disputed region. Attending the ceremony were Defense Minister Vladímir Padrino López and Transport Minister Ramón Velásquez Araguayán, among other high-ranking officials and military commanders.

Padrino pointed out that the bridge would connect the locality of San Martin de Turumbang with the island of Anacoco, facilitating access to essential services such as health and education for people in the area. In addition, it will promote the mobilization within the Integral Defense Operational Zone (ZODI #64) of Guyana Essequiba and will strengthen the integral development of the region. The Defense Minister also underlined that these initiatives were part of Venezuela's commitment to sovereignty over the Essequibo.

He also mentioned that his country did not intend “to occupy the spaces militarily, that is a mistaken concept that has been manipulated” because “we, the Bolivarian National Armed Force, have come here to promote national development.”

During the ceremony, the authorities toured the new facilities and inaugurated a Special Operations School in Selva while reaffirming that the Essequibo was indisputably Venezuelan territory. The troops involved in the construction were granted the Batalla de Ayacucho distinction.

On the other side, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali called the construction of a bridge on Ankoko Island an “illegitimate claim” and made it clear that Guyana would not accept Venezuela’s provocations. Guyanese media recalled that Caracas seized Guyana’s half of the island in 1966 while Foreign Minister Hugh Hilton Todd issued a formal protest and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to pursuing the matter through international legal channels.