Venezuela Says Troops Will Remain Deployed Until British Warship Leaves Guyana

The tensions between Venezuela and its smaller and weaker neighbor, Guyana, continue to mount, as President Nicolas Maduro has deployed nearly 6,000 troops as a response to the UK sending a British warship to Guyanese waters. Venezuela says these troops will remain deployed until the British warship, the HMS Trent, leaves Guyana.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino took to social media to explain his actions, In a video where he is surrounded by military supporters with a marked-up map of Venezuela and Guyana, he explained that the Venezuelan soldiers will remain deployed because they are "safeguarding our national sovereignty."

"Armed forces have been deployed not just in the east of the country, but across the entire territory," he explained on the social media platform X. "They will be there until this British imperialist boat leaves the disputed waters between Venezuela and Guyana."

In a statement to the Associated Press, the Venezuelan Defense Ministry also confirmed that Padrino shot the video in a military base in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.

Tensions have been mounting between the two South American countries as Venezuela renewed its claim on the Essequibo region, which is an oil and mineral-rich area that makes up 2/3 of Guyana. A referendum recently passed in Venezuela that claims the region, and this has brought about a rise in tensions, with both countries sending troops to its border.

British Warship Has Arrived in Guyana Amid Tensions with Venezuela

Venezuela and Guyana actually met to cool tensions, with both sides agreeing to resolve the issue peacefully. However, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali reiterated that it will seek help in case its bigger and stronger neighbor breaks its word and this led to the UK sending in HMS Trent to hold military exercises with its former colony.

President Ali noted that Venezuela "had nothing to fear" from the British warship arriving in the waters off Guyana. "Guyana has long been engaged in partnerships with regional and international states aimed at enhancing internal security," he added, noting, "These partnerships pose a threat to no one and are in no way intended to be aggressive."

Despite this statement, Venezuela responded by beginning military exercises of its own. These military exercises involved around 5,000 troops in the Eastern Caribbean portion of the country and Venezuela said the exact reason for this was the British warship arriving.

UK Criticizes Venezuela Over Response to British Warship Arriving in Guyana

After Venezuela deployed its troops as an answer to the British warship arriving in Guyanese waters, the UK government then slammed Venezuela and called the military exercise it is currently doing "unjustified."

The UK has now called on Venezuela to cease these military exercises, according to BNN. However, based on the Venezuelan Defense Minister's response, it does not appear that the country is planning to do so anytime soon.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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