Venezuela’s lingering border threats

Dear Editor, All over Guyana, people are talking about the border dispute with Venezuela and many are wondering what will be the outcome. They view the recent claim by Venezuela over Guyana’s maritime waters as an unfolding and very dangerous issue, which the new APNU+AFC Coalition Government must closely monitor with great interest over the coming weeks and months. Since 1966, Caracas had refused to recognize the century-old border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela following a recent controversial decision by the president to extend its border claim. Venezuela’s prolonged threats must be taken seriously. On May 27, 2015, President Maduro issued Decree No. 1787 creating the Atlantic Coast of Venezuelaand effectively extending his country’s borders to include the maritime waters off the natural resources-rich Essequibo region. Prior to the presidential decree, the Venezuelan Navy in October 2013, had detained an oil research vessel belonging to the United States Anadarko Petroleum Corporation because the Madura government claimed that the vessel was conducting illegal exploration in its waters without authorization. The former PPP administration disputed Venezuela’s claim and stated that the vessel was operating in Guyana’s territory. Venezuela had laid claim to two-thirds of Guyana’s land mass since an 1899 arbitration ruling in favor of Guyana when it was under British colonial rule. Today, Venezuela has not only unilaterally renewed the claim, but has also extended it. Venezuela’s decision came 11 days after the general election in Guyana produced the first change of government in over two decades.It seems to have been triggered by the news of the discovery of significant petroleum deposits by United States Company ExxonMobil, which was given approval by the previous PPP/Civic administration to carry out exploration in the maritime area. This new development means that president David Granger coalition government was not given the customary honeymoon period afforded to newly elected governments. The offshore oil find is great news for the people of Guyana, whose economic fortunes have been showing some encouraging signs of a turnaround in recent years after being in the doldrums for the last ten years. President Granger, a former army brigadier-general has publicly stated that Venezuela’s actions represents a threat to regional peace and security and has made it quite clear that his new administration will vigorously defend Guyana’s interests against any aggression from Venezuela, its neighbor. Despite Venezuela’s cordial relationship with CARICOM nations, and its generous Petro-Caribe assistance to its member states, which began in 2005 with the aim to maintain solidarity with region, the leaders of the Caribbean believe that it is highly unreasonable for Venezuela to seek claim of more of Guyana’s territory. There is enough evidence to suggest that Venezuela, even though it was not pleased with the ruling in 1899, yet it still ratified the findings of the arbitration which suggests it had accepted the agreement. It is time for Venezuela to end its claim of Guyana’s territory so that the nation can fully concentrate its effortson strategies and plans to develop its economy and move Guyana forward. The newly elected Granger led coalition government should not have had to divert its attention away from the development of the country towards the threats from Venezuela. The dispute is most likely to be on the agenda of the annual CARICOM Heads of Government Summit slatedto be hosted by Barbados next month. This issue is problematic in that itpresents a dilemma for some CARICOM countries because it may place them in an uncomfortable situation where their loyalty to both Guyana and Venezuela put to the test. This is especially truebecause these countries have and continue to benefit from Venezuelan Petro-Caribe oil concessions that provided a cushion from the full effects of high oil prices. Moreover, they are in a quandary and are therefore walking a diplomatic tightrope as to what to say or do about the border dispute. This issue is so ripe with strife that Guyanese are holding their breath and are hoping that cool heads will prevail and that there will be no violence but instead some efforts towards conciliation by both countries. Escalation of the current border dispute by Venezuela has the potential to extend beyond the two countries and even outside of the region. Because of the United States interests in the region; it will want regional stability and peace to exist instead of violence. If the latter occurs, it will have the potential to involve the US. As a result, U.S participation, military or otherwise can never be ruled out. Apart from that, the tense relations which have existed between Washington and Caracas under President Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez over the years, the opportunity for the United States to discipline Venezuela might just be too tempting to resist. That said, it is the hope of Guyanese and the people of the Caribbean for a peaceful region where all the countries can harmoniously cooperate in the pursuit of regional and economic development and increased prosperity for a better quality of life for the peoples of the Caribbean, which historically has had more than its share of conflict and strife and above all, poverty. Asquith Rose