CHIEF-of-STAFF of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and head of the Joint Services, Brigadier Patrick West has said that there is no evidence the Venezuela Sindicatos (gangs) are operating in Guyana.

“I don’t think that, that is as accurate as it is being perpetuated, we have been having these reports since 2016 and we have been monitoring them and would have received several reports in Regions One and Seven,” Brigadier West said.
There have been reports of the Sindicatos operating within the border regions and are terrorising Guyanese nationals.

Brigadier West, who was at the time speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, said on every occasion when the army received these reports, troops were deployed, but have never found any evidence of them.
Nevertheless, he said, this should not stop residents from providing valuable information to the army.
“If there are any reports of any persons who may be supporting illegal operations in those areas as well and may want to create a face, we will deal with that. We are living in a bordering community and persons may be speaking more than one language and give the impression that they are Venezuelans because they can speak the second language fluently, they too must be identified by their communities as well, we need them to give us assistance to put a face to who may be operating in this area” the chief-of-staff said.

One border region, Guyana and Venezuela share identical names for locations on both sides of the river. Brigadier West also noted that in many instances when claims are made that illegal operations are taking place in Guyana, it actually happens on the other side of the river — on Venezuelan soil.

He also rubbished claims that the gangs are operating in Guyana and local security personnel are afraid to confront them.
“Inform us so that we can take the necessary actions and steps to inform our personnel and we can have a face as to who may be alleging to be members of a Venezuela Sindicatos. We had patrols in there two weeks ago at two separate locations and the evidence did not show they were any such groups,” he said.
The Guyana Chronicle pointed out to him the alleged beheading of persons, some of whom are suspected to be Guyanese, but he noted that these actions did not happen on Guyana’s soil.

Speaking specifically to a video in which a Guyanese was beheaded, Brigadier West said there is now a twist to the story.
He said local law enforcement officials have contacted persons, whom it was claimed are related to the beheaded man, but they have confirmed they have no relations to him.
The GDF, he said, is more than willing to lend support to tackle any such gangs in Guyana, if they do exist.

“If it is found to be true, it is still a civil matter and the GDF is obligated to support the civil powers in the maintenance of law and order, and we still have an obligation based on the alleged nature of this gang being heavily armed.”

Since reports surfaced in Guyana about the gangs, the Guyana Police Force had contacted their Interpol counterparts in Venezuela, while the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made contact with their Venezuelan counterparts.

Sometime last year, elements of the Venezuelan army moved into an area on the Venezuelan side of the border and confronted one of the Sindicatos which was operating on Venezuelan soil.