The border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela has escalated into what President David Granger this morning described as “aggrieved behaviour” with Venezuela’s unusual deployment of marine and military ground forces to its eastern border with Guyana.
Calling the deployment “extraordinary” President Granger told reporters this morning at his office that rather than seeking a peaceful resolution of the matter “Venezuela seems to be pursuing a very offensive and aggressive course.”
“The situation is getting worse not better, although Venezuela is embroiled in a major controversy with Colombia, we have recently received reports that Venezuela has been making extraordinary military deployment in eastern Venezuela, that is west of Guyana, which seems to be impacting on Guyana’s territorial integrity,” the President announced.
Following this latest move on the part of Venezuela the President summoned a high level security meeting at his office this morning and said Guyana will take whatever action that is “deemed appropriate to protect the territorial integrity of the country.”
This latest move by Venezuela follows the May 26th decree issued by President Nicholas Maduro claiming sovereignty over Guyana’s territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region which had seen a slew of public statements being made by Guyana and Venezuela on the decades long controversy. Last week too Venezuelan media reports said that President Maduro had ordered the suspension of the process to accredit Guyana’s named Ambassador Marilyn Cheryl Miles to Venezuela.
President Granger will be addressing the issue in his speech at the United Nation General Assembly where he plans to push for a judicial settlement of the controversy.
