The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, Hugh Todddenounced this Saturday the military deployment of Venezuela near its border, within the framework of the territorial dispute between both countries over the region of the Essequibo.
Todd stated that the actions of Venezuela they have a “double standard” because satellite images show a growing expansion of the Venezuelan military presence near the border.
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“There are some inconsistencies based on what they are doing in the international front in terms of diplomacy and what they are doing at home in terms of their military posture,” stated the Foreign Minister.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), based in USApublished several satellite images that revealed that Venezuela was expanding its military base on the island of Ankoko and in the area of Punta Barimanearly Guyana.
Todd explained that he had already conveyed his concerns to his Venezuelan counterpart, Yvan Gilat the meeting of the Joint Commission held last month in Brasilia (Brazil).
At the meeting at the end of January, both countries committed to continuing dialogue on the controversy surrounding the region of the Essequibo and even address the Geneva Agreement of 1966.
Likewise, the Guyanese Foreign Minister reiterated the position of Guyana That the international Court of Justice (ICJ) would be the only mechanism that would be used to resolve the dispute and its commitment to reaching a solution peacefully.
On the other hand, the president of Guyana, Irfaan Aliannounced on Thursday that it plans a restructuring in the Defense Force of Guyana (GDF, in English) investing in equipment focused on technology, assets and collaboration with allied countries.
The differences due to the border limits around the Essequibowhich occupies two thirds of the territory of Guyana and? Venezuela claimed for more than a century, they began with the Arbitration award of Paris of 1899 that gave the sovereignty of the territory to the then Guyana British.
Venezuela Declared that ruling null and void decades later and signed the 1966 Geneva Agreement with the United Kingdom, which determined the creation of a commission to resolve the historic controversy, which did not materialize.
Venezuela defends the 1966 Agreement as a legal instrument to resolve the dispute over the Essequiboa 160,000 square kilometer jungle region administered by Guyanarich in oil, gold and diamonds, among other minerals and precious stones.
However, Guyana It is based on the arbitration award of 1899 and is committed to resolving the territorial conflict through the process opened in ICJ.
