Guyana-Venezuela border dispute

[Miktay]

Venezuela edges closer to armed conflict with Guyana over resource-rich territory

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Guyana’s minister for foreign affairs, Carl Greenidge, while speaking in parliament on the recent interdiction by the Venezuelan Navy of ExxonMobil vessels doing seismic surveys in Guyanese waters during the Christmas holidays, also disclosed that, during the incident, the Venezuelan Navy attempted to land a helicopter on one of the ships, the Ramform Tethys, in an attempt to seize the vessel entirely.

The Ramform Tethys, owned by Norwegian company Petroleum Geo-Services Group, flagged in The Bahamas, is a Titan-class, seismic-research platform, designed specifically for conducting seismic research and underwater imaging for oil companies.
ExxonMobil has ceased operations on behalf of the Guyanese government until further notice.

The Ramform Tethys is not a military grade ship; neither is it a surveillance and reconnaissance vessel and was given permission to conduct seismic studies in the Guyana Esequiba river region by the Guyanese government. However, Venezuelan authorities claim that the Ramform was in the Venezuelan claimed Orinoco River Basin — a claim flatly denied by the Guyanese government in Greenidge’s address to the parliament, as the coordinates of the vessels stated clearly where they were at the time of the Venezuelan military’s interception.

Greenidge invited the Venezuelan government, via a diplomatic note to Caracas over this recent incident, to take the border dispute settlement process in the International Court of Justice seriously, and come back to the table in earnest even at this late hour and despite having withdrawn from the process in June 2018, shortly after the Venezuelan presidential elections.

This is not the first time Venezuelan military have made incursions into Guyanese territory in the recent past. On December 3, 2015, and just two days prior to Venezuelan parliamentary elections, a Venezuelan military helicopter landed in the Esequiba region on the Guyanese side, prompting Guyana to complain to Venezuelan authorities and other persons in the international community about this apparent act of aggression.

Military build-up by the Venezuelan government has been growing in the face of American sanctions on President Nicolas Maduro’s regime and in spite of international sanctions and censure by other countries, particularly the Netherlands and their territories in the Caribbean.

The recent landing of Russian bombers with nuclear payload capabilities in Venezuela, equipment Venezuelan authorities said was meant for their self-defence against aggression against Venezuelan sovereignty, was met with dismay and concern by military and security analysts in the region, as the Maduro regime continues to dissolve into uncontrollable chaos.

With the massive number of refugees still fleeing the humanitarian, economic and political crisis in Venezuela to other countries, particularly into Guyana, Trinidad and Colombia, Maduro has increasingly called on Venezuelan citizens remaining in the country to arm themselves and prepare to defend their homeland.

In November 2018, at an event at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Maduro called on university students to defend the “Revolution” with arms at all cost against the oligarchy and imperialist aggression.

Armed militias are roaming the streets and are also creating havoc and violence on the border between Venezuela and Guyana in another resource fight, this time over the rich gold mines of the Esequiba area.

Much like the blood diamonds of Sierra Leon, the “dirty gold” being mined on the border is being monopolized and controlled for ransom by Venezuelan mobsters and heavily armed criminal gangs that are not under any control of the Venezuelan military or sanctioned by the government; with some suggesting however that members of the Venezuelan military are complicit in the lawlessness and violence at the border against Guyanese nationals and are urged to look the other way.

As people fleeing Venezuela pour into Guyana, the lack of resources by the Guyanese government to manage and maintain proper accounting of persons legitimately fleeing due to hardships and those that are set on exacerbating further conflict between the two countries has not been an easy task.

A report by Colin Freeman of the London Telegraph over the weekend, spoke directly to challenges being faced by another Caribbean country, Trinidad and Tobago, which is finding the influx of Venezuelan migrants as well as the increase in drugs and guns into the country from Venezuela to be challenging, particularly with the resulting increase in violence and criminal activity.

Additionally in the Telegraph report, Freeman stated that piracy has returned to the Caribbean and has the potential to reach Somali-type crisis levels.

The report also stated, with accounts given by Trinidadian seamen, Venezuelan fishermen and other sea-faring individuals have taken to the seas to make a living other than fishing and are said to be hijacking pleasure vessels of any flag and then escaping back into Venezuelan waters without a trace.

In January 2017, the Dutch have alleged that the smuggling of dirty gold amounts to several thousand kilos per month from Venezuela into Curacao via criminal cartels that run through Venezuela.

In Guyana, as a vote of no-confidence against the government at the end of 2018 triggered the constitutional mechanisms for a national, general election to be held within three months, problems with Venezuelan aggression and the uncontrolled migrants and gangs seem to be a problem with no relief in the short to medium term.

https://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/2019/0 ... 90NNsTYg4U

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

I hope Venezuela vs Guyana today doesn't turn into Russia vs USA tomorrow.

• Venezuela has been trying to take lands from Guyana ever since
• Guyana make major oil and gas find
• Russia and Iran, oil and gas producers in their own regards send bombers and naval war ships to Venezuela that borders Guyana.
• Guyana's gov't collapses.

The US may find reason to "protect" Guyana the same way they are "protected" Yemen, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan etc

[hydroep]

Ah wonder if CARICOM has an official position on this matter and if regional Governments are willing to commit troops to the cause should things escalate?

On a somewhat related note, some family giving me a story the other day:

Years ago they used to vacation in Venezuela. On one trip they visited a friend's house where children were playing a version of pin the tail on the donkey — Trinidad was the tail and Venezuela was the donkey.

Apparently this was not an isolated incident. It was a widely held belief (at the time) that the island was theirs and expected that both would be re-united eventually.

Well, the man watching the influx of immigrants and talking about how Sh!tkicker gone and make he deal with Maduro to "sell out" and let them come in. It's like his worst fears are being realized...

[MG Man]

keep watching....the day will come when trinis begging for asylum in Guyana

[airuma]

I hope Venezuela vs Guyana today doesn't turn into Russia vs USA tomorrow.

• Venezuela has been trying to take lands from Guyana ever since
• Guyana make major oil and gas find
• Russia and Iran, oil and gas producers in their own regards send bombers and naval war ships to Venezuela that borders Guyana.
• Guyana's gov't collapses.

The US may find reason to "protect" Guyana the same way they are "protected" Yemen, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan etc

US ships off the coast of Grenada, Russia send military aid to Venezuela, Guyana’s Government collapses...... too many signs to ignore!

[Ben_spanna]

Ah wonder if CARICOM has an official position on this matter and if regional Governments are willing to commit troops to the cause should things escalate?

On a somewhat related note, some family giving me a story the other day:

Years ago they used to vacation in Venezuela. On one trip they visited a friend's house where children were playing a version of pin the tail on the donkey — Trinidad was the tail and Venezuela was the donkey.

Apparently this was not an isolated incident. It was a widely held belief (at the time) that the island was theirs and expected that both would be re-united eventually.

Well, the man watching the influx of immigrants and talking about how Sh!tkicker gone and make he deal with Maduro to "sell out" and let them come in. It's like his worst fears are being realized...

Caricom has already been selling us out to CHINA... I wonder if China would put things in place to protect its Pitch lake and other vested interests in the region?

[zoom rader]

Don't worry Caricom forces will be ready to assist Guyana

[The_Honourable]

Is Venezuela Willing to Start a Caribbean War?



On December 22, 2018, the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela “intercepted” the ExxonMobil research ship, the Ramform Tethys, in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The ship is flagged by the government of the Bahamas and was contracted to conduct seismic work by ExxonMobil and has a crew of seventy. Relations between Guyana and Venezuela have deteriorated considerably since Nicolas Maduro came into office in 2013, following the death of Hugo Chavez. This incident could be the beginning of a more sustained push by the authoritarian Maduro regime to stir up nationalism in the run-up to the beginning of a new presidential term in January 2019.

Guyana and Venezuela have a longstanding border dispute, dating back to the early nineteenth century but since settled by international arbitration. Venezuela has periodically challenged that settlement, claiming about half of the country. The recent discovery of large quantities of oil off the shore of Guyana conducted by major oil companies, in particular ExxonMobil, has led to a new oil rush for the Caribbean country. With a population of less than one million and an economy that has struggled in the past, the addition of oil is real boost to the economy, and if used prudently, could considerably improve the lives of most Guyanese.

The problem for Guyana is that the Venezuelan economy is sinking, and badly. According to the International Monetary Fund, inflation should reach ten million percent in 2019. The country is struggling to produce enough oil for exports, and food, toilet paper and other daily staples are hard to find. Crime is rampant, and the economy is now based on barter, with goods having greater value than the worthless government currency, the bolivar. Close to 2.5 million people have already fled Venezuela and more are expected to head across the borders to Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador as well as throughout the Caribbean. There is some talk that up to ten million Venezuelans may ultimately leave their country to escape economic collapse, a lack of personal safety and political repression.

The Guyanese government is deeply concerned that Venezuela could continue to push on the border issue. The government released a statement, saying that it “…rejects this illegal, aggressive and hostile act perpetrated by the Government of Bolivarian Republic of which once again demonstrates the real threat to Guyana’s economic development by its western neighbor; an act that violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.”

On paper, the Venezuelan military is much larger than Guyana’s. However, the terrain through which any large-scale Venezuelan incursion would proceed is challenging. Much of the border is jungle, and there are few roads as well as a number of rivers. Moreover, one has to wonder as to how combat effective the Venezuelan armed forces are at this stage, considering the country’s budget problems and the corruption within the officer corps. Would the Venezuelan military be ready and able to make war against Guyana? The answer is probably no; the preference would be more likely to conduct a number of bullying operations, such as the seizure of oil exploration ships.

Making the situation more complicated is the involvement of the major powers in the region. Both China and Russia have been and continue to be actively engaged in keeping the Maduro regime in power, although it is questionable that Beijing or Moscow would favor backing Caracas in a shooting war with Guyana. Moreover, the United States has made it clear that it considers Venezuela, in the words of national Security Adviser John Bolton, part of the “troika of tyranny,” alongside Cuba (which has security advisers in Venezuela) and Nicaragua.

Washington has little regard for the Maduro government and has suggested regime change would be a good thing. However, if Venezuela were to escalate the situation from the seizure of an oil exploration vessel to a land grab or an attempted naval blockade of the offshore oil fields, the situation could turn ugly. The United States has already let it be known that it disapproved of the Venezuelan action and stands behind Guyana.

The Guyanese-Venezuelan situation raises a number of questions. First and foremost is how far does the Maduro regime want to take this? Is this a major step that is meant to start a campaign of intimidation vis-à-vis its smaller neighbor? If so, what kind of role will China and Russia play in the unfolding drama? If one were cynical, the timing of Russia sending two long-range bombers to Venezuela earlier in December could be taken as part of a larger plan to support the Maduro regime as it pushes Guyana.

The oil industry is regarded in Guyana as a path to a better economic future. In the past the economy was built around sugar, bauxite and gold, but throughout much of the country's existence it was poorly managed. Over the past decade there has been more hope about future economic trajectories. This has come despite domestic political fighting at the ballot box. In December, the previous government fell and Guyana heads toward new elections in three months. Central to the election is how the projected oil money will be spent. Venezuela's action cast a dark shadow over this; something no doubt calculated in Caracas. Indeed, ExxonMobil has suspended operations.

The border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela has a long history. It reappears periodically with an incident. Considering the unpopularity of the Maduro regime, its need of military support and assistance from Cuban security personnel, a foreign policy distraction could be seen in Caracas as just the right thing to take people’s minds off the socioeconomic chaos and misery that their country has become under the socialist banner. Although the odds of an actual war are not likely, there is room for escalation, something that in the short term could help Maduro begin his new term (which he won through fraudulent elections). For Guyana, the incident could be an important test as to how much support it can rely upon from the United States, Europe and other Caribbean countries. The Caribbean has long been off the U.S. radar, but China’s and Russia’s growing role in the region means that can no longer be the case. Guyana could be a test case of U.S. resolve to maintaining its strategic dominance in the Caribbean.

Source: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/ve ... -war-39987

[infinite_RPM]

Lol imagine ww3 start right In we backyard...

[zoom rader]

Lol imagine ww3 start right In we backyard...

Guyana will win this

[The_Honourable]

All Guyana have to do is to tell the US come... then you will see buildup of US troops on the Guyana-Venezuela border.

[zoom rader]

All Guyana have to do is to tell the US come... then you will see buildup of US troops on the Guyana-Venezuela border.

US has already got rid of the last government, so let's see how this plays off.

[Ben_spanna]

Would be interesting to see US military come back to Trinidad and take control of the southern coast in its totality.....while they are here they might as well commandeer Chaguaramas and redo the roads one time... cause god alone knows anything better than what we have now.

[airuma]

Would be interesting to see US military come back to Trinidad and take control of the southern coast in its totality.....while they are here they might as well commandeer Chaguaramas and redo the roads one time... cause god alone knows anything better than what we have now.

Trump fully occupied holding the US citizens to ransom trying to get his Mexico wall. It would be interesting if that is also part of the melody...... very well orchestrated if it is!

[Miktay]

The plot thickens...

Venezuela VP Exposes Guyana's False Version on Exxon Ships in Disputed Waters

Rodriguez showed official documentation evidencing the fact that the ships were not in fact in the disputed area of Esequiba.

On Tuesday, Delcy Rodriguez, vice president of Venezuela, presented concrete evidence contradicting Guyana's version in the case of the two Exxon Mobile vessels in the Esequibo area, which took place in December 2018.

The presence of Exxon Mobile ships, sent by Guyana into Venezuelan waters, was characterized by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as a very serious event and a provocation.

Rodriguez showed official documentation which evidenced the fact that the ships were not in fact in the disputed area of Esequiba, the lines of which were settled via the Geneva Conventions of 1966.

The ships trespassed on waters located within territory under Venezuelan jurisdiction, and over which there is no dispute of any kind, said the vice president, making reference to agreements signed between both nations, and which has been unrecognized and violated by the government of David Granger, by granting concessions to foreign companies, such as Exxon Mobile, for their own interests.

Delcy Rodríguez played radio communications recorded by the Bolivarian Navy as it encountered one of the ships. The tape makes clear that the event did not occur in disputed waters, but in Venezuelan territory.

Likewise, the recording disproved the idea that Venezuelan officials had not boarded the Guyanese ships as the nation claimed.

In addition, the Bolivarian official denounced Exxon Mobile’s payment of a sum of US$20 million to Granger’s government to sue Venezuela before the International Court of Justice.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Ven ... DBS1F2fRT0

https://twitter.com/telesurenglish/stat ... 81/photo/1

[timelapse]

Russia vs. BP
Whats new?

[RedVEVO]

When the War comes .. I will be in Venezuela fight the imperialists .

Meanwhile in Trinidad I trying to figure out where Growley gets his economic data .

However his outfit was GQ quality .

[matr1x]

Is it armed conflict, or as the guyanese say" conflict armed"?

[88sins]

2 sprangers fightin over a snack box

[Trinispougla]

OP cyah believe yuh citing Caribbean News Now as a source

[timelapse]

However his outfit was GQ quality .

Padarath dressing him

[teems1]

Don't we import fuels now from Venezuela since the refinery closure?

If things get hairy on the mainland, we'll have to source our fuels elsewhere....

[Chimera]

venezuela skunt dem

[The_Honourable]

Venezuela becoming increasingly aggressive in push for more territory



Reports indicate that Venezuela has signaled its intention to remap its Caribbean oil and gas prospects which is a move that could further escalate rising tensions between that country and neighbouring Guyana, which has of late become an oil and gas ‘province’ of interest.

The two South American countries have had a longstanding border controversy dating back over a century and which is now engaging the attention of the International Court of Justice.

Bloomberg said in a January 9 report that Venezuela has mapped its offshore territory for oil deposits in the past, “but some areas remain uncharted.” It said too that the new survey will also include areas bordering Caribbean islands such as Grenada and Saint Vincent.

Antero Alvarado, a managing partner at consulting firm Gas Energy Latin America, is quoted as saying, “More surveys are pending to identify commercially viable options for gas. Past PDVSA studies ignored identifying gas deposits because the focus was always on oil.’’

According to the Bloomberg article, a seismic survey is planned for the coming months “and will include an eastern area of Venezuela that borders Guyana, the people said, asking not to be named because the plan isn’t public.” That report further said that officials at state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, declined to comment.

More: http://oilnow.gy/featured/venezuela-bec ... -territory

[K74T]

As we on Venezuela, Maduro has been sworn in for a second term.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/world/venezuela-s-maduro-celebrates-nd-term-as-crisis-deepens/article_36ecb032-14f5-11e9-8f9d-afc4e0b1369b.html

[The_Honourable]

As we on Venezuela, Maduro has been sworn in for a second term.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/world/venezuela-s-maduro-celebrates-nd-term-as-crisis-deepens/article_36ecb032-14f5-11e9-8f9d-afc4e0b1369b.html

Guess who went to the inauguration...

[K74T]

[ADONI]

As we on Venezuela, Maduro has been sworn in for a second term.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/world/venezuela-s-maduro-celebrates-nd-term-as-crisis-deepens/article_36ecb032-14f5-11e9-8f9d-afc4e0b1369b.html

Guess who went to the inauguration...

I hope the man know wah door to pass thru when he come back in!

[The_Honourable]

As we on Venezuela, Maduro has been sworn in for a second term.

https://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/world/venezuela-s-maduro-celebrates-nd-term-as-crisis-deepens/article_36ecb032-14f5-11e9-8f9d-afc4e0b1369b.html

Guess who went to the inauguration...

I hope the man know wah door to pass thru when he come back in!

With his mental capacity we can only assume he knows what is a door.

[ek4ever]

If war break out between Venezuela and Guyana we will face 2 main problems (1) possible war between all the Guyanese and Venes already here and (2) if they run home to defend their countries ... who go do the wuk here?