Upon assuming the US presidency, Joe Biden asserted in his first major foreign policy address, “America is back!” For Latin America and the Caribbean, this has meant an “aggressive expansion” of the US military in the region.
US Military Projection in Latin America and the Caribbean Intensifies
A GROUP of advisors from the United States Army, who are part of the first Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB), have been deployed to Guyana to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and provide leadership training to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
U.S. Army advisors boost Guyana’s defence capabilities through leadership training
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Guyana, Venezuela Foreign Ministers to meet in Brazil on Jan 25
CARACAS – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered on Thursday the armed forces to launch “the activation of a joint defensive action” in response to the deployment of a British warship off the coast of Guyana.
Maduro Orders ‘Defensive’ Military Drills After UK Deploys British Warship Off Guyana Coast
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Venezuela To Deploy Defensive Action in Response to UK Threat
Guyana to strengthen its military capability
The disclosure that steps were being taken to boost the military capacity of the GDF came after President Ali, Vice President Jagdeo and GDF Chief-0f-Staff Brigadier Omar Khan met with former Retired Four Star US General Wesley K. Clark at State House ion December 19.l. Mr Jagdeo said no “formal” decision has been taken to hire him. “We had a good meeting with General Clark. There has been no formal decision as to whether he will be hired or not but he is a solid person,” Mr Jagdeo said, noting that he was head of the United States Southern Command and ex NATO Commander.
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No decision yet on hiring retired four star US general – Jagdeo
Government is impressed with Clark’s experience, according to Jagdeo, who pointed to operations he undertook for NATO and SOUTHCOM.
President of Guyana met with NATO general who led bomber to Yugoslavia
President Maduro to Guyana’s President Ali: You Are Opening the Door to the Devil
The Venezuelan president then touched on the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He explained to Ali that going to this court of the United Nations to resolve the dispute over the Essequibo must arise from the will of both states, Guyana and Venezuela, as indicated in the 1966 Geneva Agreement, and Venezuela does not recognize this court’s right to rule on the Essequibo claim.
At that moment, Maduro brought out the list of the 119 countries that do not recognize the ICJ. As he unfolded the paper, Maduro looked at the faces of some representatives of those nations present in the room. “You, Bahamas, here you are on the list; you do not recognize that International Court,” Maduro said looking at the face of Philip Davis, prime minister of that Caribbean island. “You, Mr. Keith (Rowley), you don’t recognize the ICJ either,” he said the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago. The president closed the roll call with Irfaan Ali, whose nation likewise does not recognize the ICJ, although they went to it, in 2018, to ask it to rule on the “legal validity” of the 1899 Paris Arbitral Award, a document that placed Essequibo in the possession of Guyana which, at that time, was a British colony. Essequibo has been part of Venezuela since 1777, when the Captaincy General was founded, according to certified texts.
Venezuela and Guyana to Maintain Direct Dialogue Amid Essequibo Dispute
On Thursday evening, both nations published the “Joint Declaration of Argyle for Peace Between Guyana and Venezuela.”* The eleven-point document establishes that neither nation will threaten the use of force against the other, that both committed to “resolving controversies in accordance with international law” and to “refrain[ing] from escalating any conflict.”
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The first block of talks included the participation of CARICOM, the regional body of Caribbean states that includes and backs Guyana’s position that would have the International Court of Justice (ICJ) settle the territorial dispute over the Essequibo region.** Venezuela holds “observer” status in CARICOM.
Caracas, on the other hand, views the 1966 Geneva Agreement,** which commits the countries to work out a mutually satisfactory solution, as the only binding instrument to solve the border issue.
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The Guyanese president added that he viewed the intervention of the ICJ as “part of the Geneva agreement” since the case was taken to the World Court following a referral by the United Nations secretary general.**
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*The joint declaration of Argyle for dialogue and peace between Guyana and Venezuela
Read More »The president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, has recently threatened to seek military support from the imperial forces of the United States following the Venezuelan Consultative Referendum over the Essequibo territory, in which over 10 million Venezuelans overwhelmingly voted in favor of recognizing the historical sovereignty over this eastern area of Venezuela.
Guyana Considers Establishing US Military Base (+Trinidad & Tobago)
I called it, two weeks ago!
Dr Ali added that there was “nothing to fear” as Guyana’s international partners and international community “are ready to support us.” He said the Guyana Defence Force was “on full alert” and has contacted the Florida-based United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), one of the 11 unified combatant commands in the US Department of Defense. “The Guyana Defence Force is on full alert and has engaged its military counterparts including the US Southern Command,” he said, without elaborating. Dr Ali added that the US, United Kingdom, Brazil and France as well as the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guitteres have been contacted. “By defying the court. Venezuela has rejected international law, the rule of law generally fundamental justice and morality and the preservation of international peace and security. They have literally declared themselves an outlaw nation,” he said.
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Attorney General Anil Nandlall earlier Tuesday said the UN Security Council could be asked to approve economic sanctions on Venezuela or ask UN member states to take military action to force Venezuela to comply with the ICJ order that Venezuela must not take any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over Essequibo.
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Notes: Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Minister, Amery Browne, has said that it’s a violation of the Caribbean Community’s policy for them to mediate a solution. Guyana was a founding member of CARICOM. Their aim was “to use [CARICOM] as leverage against Venezuela” and to prohibit them “from pursuing its Essequibo territorial claim”. [source]
Read More »Growing US Military Presence in Brazil
To this end, the United States faces a series of obstacles in our continent. The most important immediate obstacle is Venezuela, clearly counter-hegemonic, bent on building important geopolitical bridges with Russia, China and Iran, and now focused on beginning to resolve the problem of the Guyanas.
Caracas, December 4, 2023 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelans voted to support the country’s sovereignty claim over the Essequibo Strip in a non-binding referendum on Sunday.
Venezuela: Referendum Delivers Overwhelming Backing for Essequibo Claim
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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