Venezuelan Ambassador summoned: Guyana condemns, demands redress on attack of soldiers

Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on the attack of Guyanese soldiers:

Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation this morning urgently summoned His Excellency Carlos Perez, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Guyana to condemn and demand redress for yesterday’s armed attack on a Guyana Defense Force (GDF) supply vessel navigating in Guyanese waters between Eteringbang and Makapa.

The attack, by a group of heavily armed men firing on the GDF vessel from Venezuelan territory, injured six GDF troops, all with gunshot wounds. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but some of the wounded had to be evacuated for medical treatment.

While an investigation is in progress, preliminary indications are that the perpetrators are members of Venezuelan criminal gangs who operate with impunity on Venezuela’s side of the international border.

The Minister told Venezuela’s Ambassador that Guyana is outraged by yesterday’s attack, and that it holds Venezuela responsible. He reminded the Ambassador that, under international law, Venezuela is responsible for any harm caused to Guyana or its nationals by persons acting from Venezuelan territory, including private individuals unaffiliated with the Venezuelan Government or Armed Forces.

The Minister insisted that Venezuela comply with its international obligation not to allow its territory to be used to harm a neighbouring State and its duty to eliminate the presence of Venezuelan criminal gangs in the border region, and to prevent any future attacks on Guyana. Noting that Venezuela maintains a significant military presence in the region, despite the absence of a security threat from Guyana, the Minister insisted that Venezuela deploy these assets against the criminal gangs within its territory that constitute a threat to both States.

Minister Todd further expressed his concern about the Ambassador’s failure to denounce yesterday’s incident, and Venezuela’s failure, thus far, to take any action to pursue, apprehend or bring to justice the perpetrators. “Inaction” he warned “is complicity, and Guyana will not hesitate to fully exercise its rights under international law to hold Venezuela accountable.”