Venezuela Begins Military Exercises As UK Sends Warship To Support Guyana

BBC: Venezuela to hold military drills after UK sends warship to Guyana 

Venezuela has ordered the armed forces to hold military exercises in response to the UK's decision to send a warship to support neighbouring Guyana. 

Military leaders said 5,600 soldiers would take part in "defensive" exercises on Venezuela's eastern Caribbean and Atlantic coasts. 

Earlier this month, Venezuelan voters backed the creation of a new state in oil-rich Essequibo. Guyana has administered the area for decades. 

In a television address on Thursday, President Nicolás Maduro said the exercises were being launched "in response to the provocation and threat of the United Kingdom against peace and the sovereignty of our country".  

Read more .... 

Venezuela Begins Military Exercises As UK Sends Warship To Support Guyana  

Maduro displays Venezuela’s sea and air power near Guyana in response to British warship -- Miami Herald  

Venezuela's Maduro slams deployment of British warship to Guyana -- Reuters  

Venezuela Deploys Troops to East Caribbean Coast, Citing Guyana Threat -- Bloomberg  

Venezuela mounts military exercises as UK sends warship to support Guyana -- The Guardian

'Don't mess with Venezuela': Nicolas Maduro warns Britain over Navy warship sent to protect Guyana -- The Telegraph

Venezuelans Vote Overwhelmingly To Seize Guyana's Oil Rich Region

 

Reuters: Venezuelan voters reject ICJ jurisdiction over dispute with Guyana 

CARACAS (Reuters) - Voters in Venezuela rejected in a Sunday referendum the International Court of Justice's jurisdiction over the country's long-running territorial dispute with neighboring Guyana and backed the creation of a new state in the Esequibo region. 

The court has barred Venezuela from taking any action that would change the status quo in the area, but President Nicolas Maduro's government went ahead with a five-question "consultative" referendum. All questions passed with more than 95% approval, according the electoral authority.  

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WNU Editor: Venezuelan President Maduro is unpredictable. I expect more countries (besides Canada) issuing travel warnings in the coming days/weeks .... Canada issues updated travel advisory for Guyana amid border dispute referendum in Venezuela (CTV News). 

Venezuelans Vote Overwhelmingly To Seize Guyana's Oil Rich Region  

Venezuela voters approve claim to oil-rich swath of Guyana -- Financial Times  

Venezuela's Maduro Holds Referendum Whether To Invade Oil-Rich Neighbor Guyana -- OilPrice.com/Zero Hedge  

Venezuela holds referendum on oil-rich Guyana region: Four things to know -- Al Jazeera  

enezuelans approve takeover of oil-rich region of Guyana. What happens next? -- CNN

Venezuela To Vote On Invading Its Neighbour Guyana

 

Miami Herald: Should Venezuela invade its oil-rich neighbor? Maduro will put it to a vote Sunday 

Venezuelans going to the polls Sunday will be asked to answer an unusually provocative question: Should their government be given a blank check to invade neighboring Guyana, and wrest away three-quarters of its oil-rich territory? 

The government of Nicolás Maduro is putting the query before voters, part of a century-old territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana that is raising tensions in the region and threatening to escalate into a shooting war. 

The question will be on the ballot in a five-part referendum that, among other things, would grant Maduro special powers to invade Guyana and create a new Venezuelan state encompassing 74% of English-speaking Guyana’s current landmass. 

The new area would be called Guayana Esequiba. Some experts see the whole thing as a political ploy, though many Guyanese see the threat as real and fear, among other things, the loss of their citizenship. 

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Update #1: World Court orders Venezuela to refrain from action in border dispute with Guyana (Reuters) 

Update #2: ‘Despotic’ Maduro accused of risking Venezuela-Guyana conflict over oil-rich region (The Guardian)  

WNU Editor: Brazil is getting involved .... Brazil army 'intensifies' border operations as Venezuela-Guyana territory dispute heats up (France 24).

Guyana Says Two Venezuelan Fighter Jets Deliberately Flew Over Its Airspace

Reuters: Guyana says two Venezuelan fighter jets flew over its airspace 

(Reuters) - Guyana said on Wednesday night that two Venezuelan fighter jets entered its airspace, circling a community on the countries’ shared border before returning to their own territory. 

The incident is the latest in a long-running border conflict between the two South American nations. Caracas says much of eastern Guyana is its own territory, a claim rejected by Georgetown. 

The conflict has flared up in recent years as Guyana has started developing oil reserves near the disputed area. 

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Update: Venezuela's fighter jets in Guyana's airspace a sign of 'aggression, intimidation' – Foreign Ministry (News Room Guyana) 

WNU Editor: Venezuela is claiming three quarters of Guyana. And as the above map illustrates, Venezuela's primarily focused is on oil.

On a personal note. I have friends who work for the government in Guyana, and I have visited the country a few times. I have told my friends in the past that the smart thing for Guyana to do when it comes to Venezuela is to establish a defense pact with a major power in the region (the U.S. or Brazil), This would significantly help to thwart any future Venezuelan plan/threats to use force. But as far as I know, they have not pursued this course of action.

Will Venezuela Go To War Over Oil?

Viktor Katona, OilPrice.com: Will Venezuela Go To War Over Oil? 

January 2021 is still far from over yet the pages of Oilprice already boast 6 articles about Guyana being the hottest drilling spot in the world. 

This is hardly surprising, considering the hot streak that ExxonMobil had over the past 5 years, with new companies coming in and stepping up the drilling game. 

The interest globally attributed to Guyana has aggravated Venezuela’s long-standing grievances over the disputed Essequibo province – before 2015 the Venezuela vs Guyana oil standoff was akin to a David vs Goliath story but now, with Guyana building up its oil reserves tally and continuing to attract new investors, the balance has become a lot more nuanced. 

Amidst all of this, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has pledged to reconquer Essequibo. 

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WNU Editor: Who knows what Venezuelan President Maduro is thinking. But what is known is that his government has claimed almost three quarters of Guyana, including the oil rich regions off its coast, and Maduro has been consistent in threatening to invade Guyana.

Venezuelan Navy Intercepts Exxon Oil Exploration Ship In Guyanese Waters

The Economist

Reuters: Venezuela navy confronts Exxon oil ship in Guyana border dispute

GEORGETOWN/CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela’s navy “intercepted” a ship exploring for oil on behalf of Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) in Guyanese waters over the weekend, neighboring Guyana’s foreign ministry said in a statement, while Venezuela said the incident occurred within its territory.

The latest incident in a century-old border dispute comes after a series of offshore oil discoveries have given Guyana the potential to become one of Latin America’s largest producers. In OPEC member Venezuela, by contrast, crude output has tumbled to the lowest levels in nearly 70 years amid an economic crisis.

The Ramform Tethys vessel, which belongs to Norwegian company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) and was conducting seismic survey work on behalf of Exxon, stopped exploration and turned east after being approached by the Venezuelan navy, PGS spokesman Bard Stenberg said in a statement.

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WNU Editor: Venezuela is laying claim to about 75% of Guyana .... Venezuela claims over 61,000 square miles of Guyana; Guyana takes it to the ICJ (Breaking Belize News). If I was the Guyanese government, I will be looking for allies right now.

More News On The Venezuelan Navy Intercepting An Exxon Oil Exploration Ship In Guyanese Waters

ExxonMobil ship approached by Venezuelan navy off Guyana -- ABC News/AP
Venezuela Navy Interrupts Oil Exploration Off Guyana -- The New York Times
Exxon Halts Offshore Research as Venezuela-Guyana Border Tensions Heat Up -- The Wall Street Journal
Guyana to file complaint with UN after Venezuela's interception of ExxonMobil vessel -- Caribbean News Service

Is Venezuela About To Invade Guyana?

(Chick on Image to Enlarge)

Stratfor: Would Venezuela Invade Guyana?

* According to an unconfirmed report, a Brazilian government delegation plans to meet with Guyana and Suriname about a possible Venezuelan military incursion into Guyana.
* For Venezuela, entering Guyanese territory could delay an International Court of Justice border ruling and even grant Caracas a bargaining chip in amnesty negotiations with the United States.
* The incursion would come with great risks for Caracas, as it may invite a harsh response from Washington.

A Brazilian delegation's quick trip to Guyana and Suriname suggests things are moving beneath the surface of the border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. On Feb. 7, Brazilian President Michel Temer approved a trip by Defense Minister Raul Jungmann, Justice Minister Torquato Jardim and Institutional Security Cabinet Chief Sergio Etchegoyen to Guyana and Suriname. According to Agencia Estado, the visit's purpose is to discuss border security with the Guyanese and Surinamese governments. However, an unconfirmed report in Brazilian paper O Antagonista claimed the real reason behind the visit was to share information that Brazil's intelligence services had learned about Venezuela considering a military incursion into Guyana.

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WNU Editor: Venezuela is in crisis mode right now. A military invasion of Guyana would be the perfect diversion.

Venezuelan Soldiers Begging For Food In Neighbouring Guyana

Miami Herald: Armed Venezuelan soldiers caught in Guyana begging for food

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA: A handful of Venezuelan soldiers — armed and in uniform — were caught in neighboring Guyana last week begging for food, local police reported, another sign of Venezuela’s deepening hunger crisis.

Guyanese Police Inspector Christopher Humphrey said he’d gone to the border along the Amacuro river, which divides the two nations, to investigate reports that the Venezuelan military was stealing food from locals. But the three soldiers he encountered — two carrying military assault rifles — said they had come to beg for meals and hadn’t harmed anyone.

Humphrey said the men had crossed into Guyana on a wooden raft and seemed genuinely hungry.

“They were desperate,” he told the Miami Herald. “They were here for some time and they showed me a can of sardines and the place where they had cooked it over a fire.”

Hunger is on the rise in Venezuela, amid triple-digit inflation and the government’s inability to import basic goods. And neighboring Colombia, Brazil and Guyana have seen a spike in Venezuelans looking for food.

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WNU Editor: I have a close friend who lives in Georgetown (capital of Guyana). He has told me that there are many homeless beggars from Venezuela in the city, and their numbers are growing dramatically. But this is the first time that I am reading a report of starving Venezuelan soldiers.

As Guyana Faces Venezuela, They Have a Big Ally In The Trump Cabinet

Image: The disputed region is two-third of Guyana's national territory. (Venezuela Analysis)

Washington Post: Rex Tillerson got burned in Venezuela. Then he got revenge.

Rex Tillerson hadn't been CEO of ExxonMobil very long when the late president Hugo Chavez made foreign oil companies in Venezuela an offer they couldn't refuse. Give the government a bigger cut, or else.

Most of the companies took the deal. Tillerson refused.

Chavez responded by nationalizing ExxonMobil's considerable assets in the country, which the company valued at $10 billion. The losses were a big blow to Tillerson, who reportedly took the seizure as a personal affront.

Only Tillerson didn't get mad, at least in public. He got even.

Flash forward to May 2015. Just five days after former military general David Granger was elected president of the South American nation of Guyana, unseating the country’s long-ruling leftist party, ExxonMobil made a big announcement.

In the deep blue waters 120 miles off Guyana’s coast, the company scored a major oil discovery: as much as 1.4 billion barrels of high-quality crude. Tillerson told company shareholders the well, Liza-1, was the largest oil find anywhere in the world that year.

For tiny Guyana (population 800,000), the continent's only English-speaking country and one of its poorest, it was a fortune-changing event, certain to mark a "before and after" in a country long isolated by language and geography.

There was just one problem with this undersea bonanza. Venezuela claimed the waters — and the hydrocarbons beneath them — as its own.

Read more ....

Previous Post: Venezuela-Guyana Tensions Flare Over Oil Find In Disputed Waters (June 9, 2015)
Previous Post: Will Guyana's Border Dispute With Venezuela Lead To War? (July 26, 2015)

WNU Editor: I have friends in Guyana .... they told me last year that this oil find was huge, and it was going to change their lives. I hope so .... but when one looks at what is happening in Venezuela today .... and their claims to two-thirds of Guayana .... who knows what the Maduro government may do next. They (Venezuela) had no problems in the past of nationalising the oil industry, and now with the prospect of Guyana becoming a successful oil producer and exporter may just be too much for the Venezuelan leadership to stomach.

The Border Dispute Between Venezuela And Guyana Is Heating Up (Again)

Image: The disputed region is two-third of Guyana's national territory. (Venezuela Analysis)

New York Times: In Guyana, a Land Dispute With Venezuela Escalates Over Oil

BARTICA, Guyana — At a little tin-roofed beer joint on the west bank of the Essequibo River, Rawle Huggins relaxed on a wooden bench and considered his tiny country’s escalating border spat with its much bigger neighbor, Venezuela.

“Here is Guyana,” said Mr. Huggins, a sometime gold miner, referring to the land beneath him and everything around it. “I don’t live in Venezuela. I live in Guyana. They live,” he added, gesturing beyond the jungle that fringes the town, “over there.”

Bartica (pronounced BAR-ti-ca), a two-and-a-half-hour journey by car and boat from Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, is the jumping-off point for what the Guyanese call “the interior,” a sparsely populated region of forest and savanna that holds indigenous villages, mining camps and deposits of gold, diamonds, bauxite and other minerals.

WNU Editor: The mess in Venezuela is such that the governing party of Maduro needs a diversion. A conflict with Guyana could be that diversion.

Venezuela Deploys Troops To Guyana's Border As Border Tensions Between The Two Countries Continues

Reuters: Guyana accuses Venezuela of 'aggressive behavior' near border area

GEORGETOWN (Reuters) - Guyana's President David Granger said on Tuesday neighboring Venezuela had launched an "extraordinary military deployment" in the east of the OPEC country, near a disputed border area.

"We have noticed during the month of September an extraordinary escalation of Venezuelan military activity in eastern Venezuela," Granger said at his Georgetown office.

"It is a persistence of aggressive behavior, hostile behavior towards Guyana," he said, adding the deployment was "mostly marine and various forms of ground forces." He did not provide further details.

A Venezuelan Foreign Ministry official said there was no immediate comment.

More News On The Border Tensions Between Venezuela And Guyana 

Venezuela holds military exercise, raising tensions with Guyana -- AFP
Guyana Says Venezuela Deploys Troops to Disputed Border -- AP
Venezuela sends troops to Guyana's border, crossings to Colombia remain closed -- FOX News
Guyana Wants World Court to Decide Territorial Dispute with Venezuela -- Latin American Herald Tribune

Will Guyana's Border Dispute With Venezuela Lead To War?

Image: The disputed region is two-third of Guyana's national territory. (Venezuela Analysis)

AFP: Guyana says Venezuelan claim is threat to its survival

Washington (AFP) - Guyana's territorial dispute with neighboring Venezuela represents a threat to its very survival, President David Granger warned Friday in Washington.

After a recent offshore oil find, the row between the two countries has escalated, with Venezuela laying claim to a huge swathe of Guyana's territory.

"Guyana at the moment is facing a challenge to its survival by a larger state," Granger told guests at the William Perry Center of Hemispheric Defense Studies.

Update #1: Granger: Guyana is facing a challenge to its survival -- El Universal
Update #2: Guyana Considers Alternatives as Venezuela Oil Program Wobbles -- Bloomberg

WNU Editor: A good friend of mine is from Guyana .... and I have been to the country two times .... one in the late 1990s, and I did a visit in 2000. Venezuela can make all the claims that it wants .... but the people in the disputed region speak English and see themselves as a part of Guyana .... not Spanish speaking Venezuela. This is more of a move by Venezuela to distract the country from its severe economic crisis. But Guyana's President David Granger does have a point .... if the situation in Venezuela further deteriorates ... which according to Zero Hedge it is happening right now .... Venezuela's Hyperinflation Crack-Up Boom On Its Way To Outer Space (Zero Hedge) .... who knows what the Venezuelan government may do next.

Venezuela-Guyana Tensions Flare Over Oil Find In Disputed Waters

The Economist

The Guardian: Guyana says Venezuela threatens 'peace and security' over oil and border row

Potentially valuable oil discovery in waters claimed by Guyana sets up conflict as Venezuela extends territorial claims further into Atlantic Ocean

A potentially rich oil discovery off the northern coast of South America has rekindled a border dispute between Guyana and its much larger neighbour Venezuela.

On Monday Guyana’s ministry of foreign affairs accused Venezuela of posing a “threat to regional peace and security” with its recent decree extending its territorial claims farther into the Atlantic Ocean.

The decree is a “flagrant violation of international law and is inconsistent with the principle that all states should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states”, the ministry said.

More News On The Venezuelan - Guyana Border Dispute

Venezuela demands Guyana halt 'imperial' oil exploration -- Reuters
Guyana vows to resist Venezuela offshore territory claim -- AP
Oil Sparks New Maritime Dispute Between Guyana and Venezuela -- Sputnik
Guyana Says Venezuela’s Grab for Contested Waters Is “Illegal” -- Latin American Herald Tribune
What’s a little oil between neighbors? Venezuela-Guyana tensions flare. -- Nick Miroff, Washington Post

Two Articles On Guyana's Concerns On Venezuela's Territorial Ambitions

WNU Editor: Two articles on the relationship between Guyana and its neighbour Venezuela ..... it appears that some people are concerned.

Guyana Concerned By New Venezuelan Weaponry -- Miami Herald

GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Guyana's opposition party worries about Russian weapons going to neighboring Venezuela and officials say they are monitoring the situation.

The People's National Congress says the sales are reminiscent of a 1966 buildup, when Venezuela occupied half of Ankoko Island that Guyana says is its territory.

Foreign Minister Manzoor Nadir said Saturday that he ''is not ignorant of the situation in Venezuela'' and will monitor it.

Russia recently gave Venezuela a $1 billion credit to buy weapons. It also has signed contracts worth more than $4.4 billion since 2005 to supply arms including fighter jets and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Guyana and Venezuela have a long-standing border dispute.

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Guyana Gov't Rejects Concerns About Caracas Arms
-- International Herald Tribune

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana's government is dismissing the main opposition party's concern about Venezuela strengthening its military with Russian weaponry.

Russia recently gave Venezuela a US$1 billion credit to buy arms. It also has signed contracts worth more than US$4.4 billion since 2005 to supply weapons to the socialist country.

But Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo's administration said Sunday it was confident Caracas respects its territorial integrity regardless of a long-standing border dispute between the two South American governments.

The People's National Congress on Saturday said the Russian weapons sales are reminiscent of a 1966 buildup, when Venezuela occupied half of Ankoko Island that Guyana says is its territory.