‘Guyana must not blink’ – Pres. Ali urges continued vigilance in face of developments in Venezuela

Amid the ongoing developments in neighbouring Venezuela, Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali urged citizens to remain vigilant to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Guyana must not blink. We must be prepared, we must be ready, we must be ever vigilant,” Dr Ali said, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, said while addressing the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Annual Officers’ Conference.

He added, “Readiness is not something you scramble to assemble when trouble arises. It is something you build quietly, steadily, and professionally.”

In January, United States forces conducted an operation in Venezuela resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, who was taken to the United States for narco-terrorism and other charges. Since then, the US has said it is working with Venezuelan authorities to usher in political and economic stability.

As developments in the Spanish-speaking country unfold, the Commander-in-Chief stressed that efforts to safeguard Guyana’s territory must remain.

He reaffirmed that Guyana’s defence posture is principled and rooted in respect for international law, but made it clear that diplomacy must be matched with readiness.

The President emphasised that preparedness should not be mistaken for provocation, readiness for aggression, nor vigilance for hostility. Instead, he said, these are the duties of a sovereign state that takes its independence seriously.

He pointed to the ongoing role of the GDF, which must ensure it is ready for any eventuality, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. And even as Guyana seeks solidarity from international partners and friends, President Ali underscored that the ultimate responsibility for defending the nation lies at home.

“Guyana is ours, and Guyana is ours to defend,” he said.

Guyana and Venezuela have been locked in a long-running territorial controversy over the resource-rich Essequibo region that is internationally-recognised as Guyana’s territory.  Guyana hopes that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will issue a final, binding judgment reaffirming the 1899 Arbitral Award that determines the boundary between the two neighbours.

Though that case is ongoing, there have been several widely-condemned acts of aggression from Venezuela. The country held elections for a governor of the Essequibo region and launched a series of measures and legislation to annex the area, which is about two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass. There have been several attacks on Guyanese military officers on duty at the country’s borders.