Joint Services at Eteringbang on alert after border visit by Venezuelan lawmakers

Joint Services ranks stationed at Guyana’s Eteringbang border outpost have been put on alert following a visit by Venezuelan legislators to the area earlier this week.

At his post-cabinet press briefing on Thursday, Head of the Presidential Secreta-riat Dr. Roger Luncheon said that in light of the recent attention being paid by the political opposition in Venezuela to Etering-bang and the bordering Guyanese communities, such interest has been noted and that the Joint Services ranks stationed there have been put on alert.

Venezuelan newspaper El Universal reported on Monday that a group of Venezuelan opposition deputies travelled to the Essequibo, the target of a border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, in “defence” of Venezuela’s sovereignty. According to the report, the deputies departed from Tumeremo on Sunday and headed to San Martín de Turumbán, east Venezuela, in an attempt to make it to Eteringbang. A sign held by the legislators said, in Spanish, that ‘The Essequibo is ours.’

The group of opposition Venezuelan legislators, reportedly at Eteringbang, holding up a sign that says ‘The Essequibo is ours’ (Handout/El Universal)
The group of opposition Venezuelan legislators, reportedly at Eteringbang, holding up a sign that says ‘The Essequibo is ours’ (Handout/El Universal)

The group of legislators who participated were Américo de Grazia (LCR), María Corina Machado (independent), Leomagno Flores (AD), Andrés Velásquez (LCR), Juan Pablo García (AD), José Gregorio Contreras (Copei), Luis Barragán (Copei),  Eduardo Gómez Sigala (Independent), Ángel Medina (AD), Freddy Marcano (AD) y Juan Guaidó (VP), and opposition leader Leopoldo López (VP)

The Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA) reported that Dr. Luncheon said that the interest “is in the context of their attitude towards Guyana’s Essequibo, one that is felt to be massaged in the eve of the imminent electoral process in Venezuela.” The HPS added that the historic opposition parties in Venezuela have fed on this nationalistic overture which they feel would enhance their appeal. He said that Venezuela’s legislature has undertaken to visit and have been visiting Eteringbang accompanied by members of the Venezuelan paramilitary establishment, GINA reported.

“Our Joint Services detachment in the location have been made aware of these planned visits and have been ordered to remain vigilant in the context of such visits,” GINA quoted him as saying.

Legislators who have been identified from opposition parties in Venezuela have had at least one visit that has been documented and which occurred “with all the rules and regulations in accord with such visits,” Dr. Luncheon said.

In September, the Government of Guyana investigated an intrusion at Eteringbang, Region Seven by Venezuelan soldiers and civilians, the latter with the intention of restating Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territory. This landing occurred on the same day that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was on a state visit to Guyana – August 31 – to hold talks with President Donald Ramotar, GINA noted.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett following the incursion had said that preliminary information suggested that a group of Venezuelans came to Guyana via Eteringbang. “They indicated that they were students and sought permission from the relevant Guyanese authorities to enter Guyana.

That permission was given. They further indicated that they were doing a research in relation to the border,” she had said.

Luncheon later said that the Venezuelan delegation offered an apology for the breach in the agreement under which they were allowed to enter the country.