Brazil’s Minister of Defence honoured with National Award

Brazil’s Minister of Defence, Raul Jungmann was Friday, February 09, 2018, awarded the Cacique Crown of Honour as celebrations begin to mark the 50th anniversary of relations between Guyana and its giant South American neighbour.

In presenting the award, President David Granger recognised Brazil as a valuable and consistent ally in the maintenance of Guyana’s territorial integrity.

“It is said that in international diplomacy, you can choose your friends but you cannot choose your neighbours; Guyana is proud to have a neighbour such as Brazil, which is also a friend,” the President stated.

The President said the award was not only in recognition of Mr Jungmann’s personal diligence but also Brazil’s demonstrated commitment to the preservation of South America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, promotion of respect for international law, international peacekeeping, humanitarian and disaster relief, and the consolidation of defence cooperation between Guyana and Brazil.

The visit, President Granger said, was the auspicious beginning of 50 years of cooperation between Guyana and Brazil.

According to Granger, the friendship between Guyana and Brazil was founded on international principles of mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-interference in each other’s affairs, cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for treaties, respect for international law and the maintenance of international peace and security.

“Guyana is a continental state with Caribbean characteristics; the preservation of South America as a zone of peace is essential to Guyana’s existence,” President Granger stated.

He recognised Brazil for being resolute in its commitment to peace on the continent.

“Guyana, therefore, records its appreciation for Brazil’s consistent and unwavering support over the past 50 years and its support for the peaceful settlement of the territorial controversy which has arisen out of the claim by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela that the award which defined and demarcated the border with Guyana in 1899 was null and void,” President Granger stated.

He said the award of the Cacique Crown of Honour symbolises Guyana’s high regard for the Brazilian Minister of Defence and also the acknowledgement of the successful defence cooperation which has existed between Guyana and Brazil for nearly 50 years.

Granger said: “I recall the training of defence personnel in Brazilian military academies and schools; I recall with satisfaction the presence in Guyana of Brazilian army instructors in our military schools. I recall the collaboration of the construction engineer battalion in the digging of wells in our southernmost regions; I recall the fruitful engagement in information sharing between the Brazilian Army and the Guyana Defence Force. I recall the series of visits by high ranking military and naval officers and by the visit of naval patrol vessels.”

The President said Guyana looks forward to the intensification of defence cooperation with Brazil, cooperation which is essential to preventing transnational crimes such as trafficking in persons, trafficking in illegal narcotics, trafficking in illegal weapons, transnational terrorism and the spread of contagious diseases.