By Entorno | 2025-03-04

GEORGETOWN/CARACAS -- The incursion of a Venezuelan Navy patrol vessel into Guyana's territorial waters on March 1 created a united front to defend the country's territorial integrity.

Guyana's President Irfaan Ali reported that a Venezuelan ocean patrol vessel identified as the Guaiquerí entered his country's exclusive waters around 7.00am, leading Guyana to "put its international partners on alert."

In a televised statement, Ali reported that the vessel had approached multiple assets within Guyana's exclusive waters, including a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit operated by US energy giant ExxonMobil.

Ali firmly stated that Guyana will not tolerate threats to its territorial integrity, emphasizing that the country's maritime borders are internationally recognized.

"This incursion is a matter of grave concern. We've already deployed air assets within our exclusive economic zone and within our exclusive waters," Ali said.

"We will not tolerate threats to our territorial integrity," he reiterated.

Intensifying threats

Opposition leader Aubrey Norton delivered a statement published by Stabroek News on March 2 reaffirming his support for the government and people of Guyana in the face of escalating threats and aggression from Caracas.

"We believe first and foremost we have to protect our territorial integrity, and in that regard, the government has our support," Norton told Stabroek News.

He urged the government to respond diplomatically and expressed confidence in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and its ability to defend the country's sovereignty.

In response to the incursion, Guyana immediately notified its international allies, summoned the Venezuelan ambassador to lodge a formal protest and announced that the incident would be reported to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the United Nations.

The Venezuelan incursion sparked criticism from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Regional Security System (RSS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The US State Department, through the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, strongly condemned Venezuela's actions near ExxonMobil facilities, calling them "unacceptable and a clear violation of Guyana's internationally recognized maritime territory."

In a statement released on March 1, the United States warned of potential "consequences" if Caracas escalates tensions.

"Further provocation will result in consequences for the [Nicolas] Maduro regime," the statement read.

The 15-member CARICOM also issued a firm response, urging Venezuela to de-escalate.

"Against this backdrop, CARICOM calls on Venezuela to order the urgent removal of the vessel from Guyana's waters and further, to refrain from engaging with the FPSO platforms," said a statement published on March 1.

CARICOM also reaffirmed its unequivocal and unwavering support for Guyana's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, talks between Guyana and Venezuela are underway with Brazil and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines mediating under the Argyle Agreement -- a pact signed on December 14, 2023, to promote dialogue and peace between the two countries, particularly regarding the Essequibo territorial dispute.

Under the Argyle Agreement, Guyana and Venezuela have pledged not to threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances, agreeing that all disputes must be resolved following international law, including the 1966 Geneva Agreement.

Warning to Maduro

On March 2, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López argued that 28 foreign drilling and tanker vessels were operating in the "disputed area" with Guyana.

Padrino López claimed that the Venezuelan Navy, using satellite imagery, had confirmed the presence of these vessels engaged in hydrocarbon exploration and commercialization.

He further accused Guyana of acting unilaterally in exploiting the region's natural resources.

English-speaking Guyana, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, has seen heightened tensions with Venezuela over control of the disputed Essequibo territory, a sprawling region rich in natural resources.

Tensions have flared since 2015 after petroleum giant ExxonMobil discovered enormous deposits that gave Guyana, a country of just 800,000 people and with a tiny military, one of the largest crude oil reserves in the world, according to AFP.

The government in Georgetown granted a new contract in April 2024 to ExxonMobil, further fueling tensions.