Venezuelan military personnel march at an official event. Photo: FANB/file photo.
The Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) of Venezuela categorically condemned the threats of military intervention issued by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his official visit to Guyana.
Rubio called Venezuela’s claim over the Essequibo territory, under Guyanese control, “illegitimate,” positioning himself against the 1966 Geneva Agreement on the disputed region.
The FANB issued a statement Thursday, March 27, condemning Rubio’s claims and the Guyanese government’s failure to implement mechanisms established in the Argyle agreement signed with Venezuela in December 2023.
The FANB emphasized that “US interference in this territorial dispute could signify a dangerous escalation for the region.”
“Venezuela has historically had a pacifist vocation and has never intended to threaten, let alone attack the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, whose current government has undertaken actions contrary to international law, assuming a submissive and servile position” before the United States, the Venezuelan statement highlighted.
The FANB further noted that Guyana has disrespected agreements signed with Venezuela, “granting licenses to transnational companies to carry out oil extraction and commercialization activities in undelimited waters where it cannot legally exercise jurisdiction.”
The FANB lamented that Venezuela’s neighbor Guyana has become a new US colony in Latin America and a subsidiary of ExxonMobil.
It emphasized that it will not tolerate threats from any foreign government or official and expressed readiness to respond to any provocation.
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Venezuelan VP condemns US and Guyanese actions
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez declared that Venezuela will not be intimidated nor give up its rights over the Essequibo, and strongly condemned Marco Rubio’s threats and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali’s actions.
“They must understand very clearly that Venezuela will never give up its rights over the Guayana Esequiba nor will it be intimidated by those who despise international law,” she added.
“The Zelensky of the Caribbean, the coward Irfaan Ali, sought out the little one who occupies the position of US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to try to threaten Venezuela,” she continued. “Both of them are attacking the peace and stability of our region.”
VP Rodríguez added that Ali detests the Argyle Mechanism because it represents the spirit of the Geneva Agreement of 1966, and he has resorted to warmongering instead.
“Guyana must immediately stop the illegal and abusive giveaway of the undelimited waters and immediately sit down at the negotiating table,” she demanded. “No more threats! We are the worthy heirs of a great Liberator, Simón Bolívar.”
(Telesur) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/DZ
