Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, accused the United Kingdom (UK) of provocating the country by sending a warship to Guyana.
Guyana and Venezuela have a long-running border dispute.
Guyana and Venezuelan Presidents Dr. Irfaan Ali and Nicolas Maduro met recently in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and committed to peace in an 11-point joint declaration.
However, the BBC reports that the United Kingdom is prepared to send a warship, HMS Trent, to Guyana as a show of military and diplomatic support.
Venezuela’s Defence Minister responded by declaring that his country will remain attentive against “provocations that endanger the peace and stability of the Caribbean and our America.”
“How about the pledge to good neighbourliness and peaceful coexistence?” And the agreement not to threaten or use force against one other under any circumstances?” Lopez made the announcement on X (previously Twitter) on Sunday.
According to Guyana’s state-owned Chronicle Newspaper, local leaders informed stakeholders on Tuesday that the government plans to pursue defence collaboration with allies and increase its military capacity for strictly defensive issues.
