Venezuela denounces «Belicist intentions» after agreement in defense of Guyana and the United Kingdom

The Hydrocarbons Minister also alerted the region of «these Belicist drums, in clear contravention of the Celac declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a peace zone.»

«Venezuela will be firm in the defense of its legitimate rights, sovereignty and territorial integrity, in all the scenarios that arise,» Rodríguez added.

In the opinion of the Guyanés President, Irfaan Ali, who received the British Secretary of Defense, Vernon Coaker, the agreement between the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense represents an «timely and strategic» event in the context of regional and world security.

This agreement comes after Guyana Prime Minister Mark Phillips, said Wednesday that the sovereignty of his country «remains seriously threatened» by Venezuela, due to Caracas claims over the border region of the Esequibo, a territory of about 160,000 square kilometers rich in oil and other natural resources.

In addition, last month, the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, gave his support for Georgetown in his territorial dispute with Caracas and warned Venezuela, during a visit in Guyana, to militarily attack this country would be «a big mistake.»

Subsequently, Nicolás Maduro, who swore for a third term in Venezuela after his questioned re -election last year, said that his nation «nobody threatens.»

The differences due to the border limits around this disputed territory began with the arbitration award of Paris of 1899, which gave the sovereignty of the territory to the then British Guyana.

Decades later, Venezuela declared that ruling void and signed with the United Kingdom of Geneva Agreement of 1966, which determined to create a commission to resolve the historic controversy, which has not materialized.

Meanwhile, this Saturday, Chavismo registered the candidacy of the Venezuelan military Neil Villamizar for the regional ones on May 25 in Venezuela, who aspires to become the «first governor elected by the vote of the people of Guayana Esequiba», which Caracas tells how his state number 24.

EFE