See below full statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana wishes to inform that on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at approximately 13:20 hrs, two Venezuelan army Sukhoi SU 30 fighter jets, overflew the community of Eteringbang and the airstrip at a very low altitude of 1500 feet. The fighter jets circled the location once before proceeding in an easterly direction.
The Government of Guyana condemns this latest act of aggression by the Venezuelan armed forces as a violation of the sovereignty of Guyana over the air above its territory.
The Government wishes to remind that this latest hostility follows closely on the heels of:
- a Decree recently issued by President Nicolas Maduro which purports to establish maritime territory for Venezuela which encompasses Guyana’s territorial waters, EEZ and continental shelf, as well as its land territory west of the Essequibo River;
- (ii) the illegal interception and detention of two Guyanese fishing vessels and their crew in Guyana’s waters; and
- (iii) the resolutions of the Special Commission for the Defence of the “Guayana Esequiba” and Territorial Sovereignty which recommended the convening a session of this Special Commission to the Essequibo with the assistance of the Venezuelan armed forces.
The incursion of our territory of the two Venezuelan fighter jets is a clear indication that the government of Venezuela is prepared to use aggression and intimidation to accomplish what cannot be accomplished by legal means- the surrender by Guyana of its patrimony.
The Government of Guyana exhorts the Government of Venezuela, and its agents, to behave in a manner consistent with international law and good neighbourly relations.
The international community will be kept informed of all actions undertaken by Venezuela to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana and threaten the peace and security of the region.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
MARCH 3, 2021
Something diplomatically radical has to be initiated to stop this incremental aggression being perpetrated by Caracas towards Guyana- a peace loving people who are now blessed with huge hydrocarbon deposits that are being harnessed to improve the lives of our Guyanese brothers and sisters. Maduro is bent on making this new development untenable and dangerous to foreign investors. Maduro continues to use a show of force against Guyana who is now forced to divert additional resources to buy guns instead of butter for its peoples. OAS, the UN, Caricom etc must now condemn this latest aerial show of military force by Venezuela against Guyana and we must rally around Guyanese right to develop its resources peacefully and without the sword of Damocles hanging over its off-shore platforms. Guyana must in response to this latest threat to its territorial integrity and independence, its sovereignty over its air-space seek to negotiate an aerial surveillance bilateral agreement with the Biden Administration similar to the Fishing Protection Agreement so that jointly they can repel these acts of brinksmanship from Maduro and compel him to stay within the existing borders of Venezuelan and not conduct acts of imperialism that can destabilise the northern South American flank to the detriment of many countries legally pursuing their own development in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and the Charter of the UN and OAS. This bus driver is going beyond his routes as a tyrant who wants to intimidate and threaten the Guyanese people. What is Rowley’s position now as Chairman of Caricom having asked for sanctions to be lifted against his buddy Maduro?