Venezuelan Minister for Defense, Vladimir Padrino Lopez. Photo courtesy of Tal Cual.
Through a statement issued this Wednesday, Venezuela expressed its categorical repudiation of the joint announcement by the Guyana and the United States government which reports an increase in their military presence in the region.
“Venezuela strongly rejects the joint announcement made by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the US government which reports an increase in military presence in the region with the aim of protecting US energy corporations, constituting the greatest threat to the stability of the Caribbean and Latin America,” wrote Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yván Gil on social media.
Venezuela’s statement notes that the government of Guyana “continues to refuse to engage in direct dialogue with Venezuela to resolve the territorial controversy” and, instead, agreed with the government of the United States through its so-called US Southern Command. It warns that the aforementioned Southern Command is carrying out “military operations in an area with enormous energy resources that are being illegally exploited by Exxon Mobil.”
For this reason, Venezuela alerted the international community of Guyana’s dangerous maneuvers, which “seek to escalate a conflict.” Finally, it reiterated that on December 3, the Venezuelan people will make history through the Popular Referendum, to continue protecting “their legitimate and historical rights over the Guayana Esequiba.”
Minister Padrino’s response
On Wednesday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino also called up0n Venezuelans to remain alert in the face of the increase in the military presence of the United States Southern Command in Guyanese territory.
OAS Chief Backs Guyana’s Aggressive Stance Against Venezuela on Essequibo Referendum
“We have warned on several occasions: the greatest threat to the region is the imperial arrogance that is manifested in the Southern Command,” wrote Padrino. “Now they are increasing their military presence in Guyanese territory to serve the interests of transnational companies. Such actions that stray from the path of reason demonstrate their dangerous desperation.”
Below is the full unofficial translation of the Venezuelan statement:
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, faithful to its Doctrine of Bolivarian Peace Diplomacy, strongly rejects the joint announcement made by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Government of the United States which reports an increase in the military presence in the region in order to protect US energy companies, which becomes the greatest threat to the stability of the Caribbean and Latin America.
President Irfaan Ali continues to refuse to engage in direct dialogue with Venezuela to resolve the territorial controversy, as mandated by the 1966 Geneva Agreement, and instead makes a pact with the most aggressive military power in the history of humanity, who through its so-called Southern Command, has been carrying out military operations in an area with enormous energy resources that are being illegally exploited by Exxon Mobil.
Venezuela alerts the international community, and especially the Caribbean countries, of Guyana’s dangerous maneuvers which seek to escalate a conflict and are motivated by the excessive financial appetite of its ruling class and its obfuscated refusal to comply with international standards, maintaining the exploration and exploitation of oil in a maritime area without delimitation with Venezuela.
The Venezuelan people will continue to mobilize, denouncing Guyana’s warlike position, and will make history on December 3, through the Popular Referendum, dictating the master lines of action to continue protecting, in accordance with international law, their legitimate and historical rights over the Guayana Esequiba”.
(Últimas Noticias) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
