THERE has been a significant scaling back of Venezuela’s military troops at the Guyana-Venezuela border, according to Minister of State and Secretary to the Defence Board Joseph Harmon. Harmon told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that the scaling back of the Venezuelan military commenced on Saturday. “Yes, there is a scale-down in the deployment. It appears that the intention is to show Maduro is responsive to public concerns prior to his proposed meeting with President Granger at the United Nations, and also give the impression of reasonableness,” Harmon said.
The move by the Venezuelan army comes just one day shy of a planned meeting last night between President David Granger and Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. Harmon, a retired army colonel, said, Guyana has analysed the increased level and quality of armaments “as sabre rattling with a political and strategic objective. “However, as a nation, you can never discard the military objective of land seizure, which can only be dislodged by similar action.”
The Minister of State noted, too, that Guyana’s move to publicise its deployment may have been the reason for the Venezuelan Army’s retreat. “So, our publicising of the deployment, and the demonstration that the GDF was prepared to carry out its duty in the end might have succeeded in the calling of President Maduro’s bluff,” he told this publication.
Guyana will, nevertheless, remain vigilant, despite the scaling back of troops by Venezuela at the border. “We have to remain vigilant, as history has shown, where military action is concerned, a withdrawal might be a regrouping to come again,” Harmon said.
On Tuesday last, the Guyana government announced that apart from heightened military presence along the border of the two countries, the Venezuelan military had launched a number of armed vessels in the Cuyuni River. Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said that the move by Venezuela was of great concern to the administration.
“So, in addition to mobilisation of personnel and equipment, including missile launches, on the other side of its borders, or our borders, they have also, as far as I am concerned, illegally positioned ships in the waterways of Guyana,” Greenidge said.
But even as Guyana raised alarm over the operation of the Venezuelan military, that country’s Minister of Defence Vladimir Padrino Lopez said military officer of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) were conducting “operational exercises” in east Venezuela. He did not indicate the number of soldiers that wereb deployed. It was later announced that a significant number of military troops were stationed at the border, a situation that developed three days prior to the Guyana government’s announcement.
Despite the armed patrols on the Cuyuni River and the heightened presence of troops at the border, Guyana will remain vigilant, and will continue to monitor the developments at the border and in its rivers.
The unannounced move by the Venezuelan military has been deemed strange, as under international practice, and out of common courtesy, neighbouring territories inform each other of impending military exercises.
“If the international practice is to be taken as a guide, normally, your neighbours would advise of such exercise; planned exercises,” Greenidge said.
“And they would normally advise with good notice so they would plan to keep clear of the area, and that there may be unusual activities. We have not been informed of any such exercise,” he told this publication last week.
As Guyana continues to monitor the scaling back of military troops, strong calls are being made for all Guyanese to be alert and careful.
Guyana remains steadfast in its position that the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award settled the border controversy with Venezuela, and that that Award is a full and final settlement.
Venezuela’s illegitimate claim to the Essequibo region and Guyana’s maritime space resurfaced in May following the discovery and announcement of a significant oil find by US oil giant, ExxonMobil.
Over the years, the UN has attempted to resolve the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, but President Granger believes it is time that the issue is settled by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

By Ariana Gordon