–says preparedness is essential as Guyana safeguards its sovereignty amid Venezuela tensions
GUYANA must remain prepared and ever vigilant in the face of continued uncertainty surrounding Venezuela, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said.
Warning that the present situation in Venezuela does not diminish the threat to Guyana’s territorial integrity, President Ali, this morning, said that history shows uncertainty demands preparedness rather than complacency.
He was at the time addressing the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Annual Officers’ Conference 2026, being held under the theme: ‘Transforming the Force to better confront the nation’s present and future challenges by enhancing its awareness, adaptability and agility capabilities.’
“Guyana must not blink. We must be prepared. We must be ready. We must be ever vigilant. Preparedness is not provocation, readiness is not aggression, vigilance is not hostility. They’re simply the duties of a sovereign state that takes itself seriously, and that is why the Guyana Defence Force must continue to ensure that it is ready for any eventuality, on land, at sea and in the air.”
He noted that while several regional and international partners have signalled their support in defending Guyana’s territory and sovereignty, the ultimate duty to defend the nation rests with its own people and institutions.
“Readiness is not something you scramble to assemble when trouble arrives. It is something you build quietly, steadily and professional, we have an ambiguous duty to defend our national patrimony from threats, both external and internal, and while Guyana actively seeks a solidarity of friends [and] partners, we must never forget that Guyana is ours and Guyana is ours to defend. We cannot outsource sovereignty.
“We cannot subcontract our defence and we cannot assume that any Fairy Godmother or godfather will always appear at a decisive moment. We have a duty to be prepared ourselves,” Dr. Ali said.
Back in January, a toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism after President Donald Trump’s stunning capture of him rattled world leaders and left officials in Caracas scrambling to respond.
The Venezuelan government has long laid claims to two-thirds of Guyana’s resource-rich Essequibo territory. The Bolivarian Republic’s leader pleaded not guilty in New York federal court to four criminal counts that include narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, also pleaded not guilty. The next court date was set for March 17.
Maduro is accused of overseeing a cocaine-trafficking network that partnered with violent groups, including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Zetas cartels, Colombian FARC rebels, and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
