‘US has no plans for secret military base in Guyana’ – White House official

Amid continued accusations from the Nicolas Maduro-led administration in Venezuela, the White House National Security Communications Advisor, John Kirby clarified that the United States (US) has no plans for a secret military base in Guyana.

Kirby, during a recent White House briefing, was asked about the accusations and Venezuela’s latest attempt to annex the Essequibo region through the promulgation of “the Organic Law for the Defense of Guayana Esequiba.”

In response, Kirby said, “There’s no plans for a secret military base (in Guyana).”

Further, the Advisor emphasised that the 1899 Arbitral Award which determined the boundary between the two countries must be respected, and respected peacefully.

Venezuela’s latest attempts to annex Guyana’s Essequibo region were issued on April 3. In response, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation rejected those attempts.

“This attempt by Venezuela to annex more than two-thirds of Guyana’s sovereign territory and make it part of Venezuela is an egregious violation of the most fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the Charter of the Organisation of American States and customary international law.

“It also contradicts the letter and spirit of the Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela agreed to on December 14, 2023 in St Vincent and the Grenadines. This unlawful act calls into question Venezuela’s obligation to abide by the principles of that Declaration,” a statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry noted.

The Guyana Government also engaged all of its international partners about Venezuela’s actions. Already, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland KC rejected Venezuela’s actions in a public statement.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General urged the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to abide by the principles of international law and to manage the dispute in ways that guarantee the peace and stability of the Caribbean region.