The United Kingdom sends a military ship to Guyana at the height of the Essequibo crisis: Caracas denounces a “provocation”

London announced this Sunday the shipment of a military patrol vessel to support Guyana. The former British colony is experiencing a crisis over the Essequibo territory rich in oil claimed by Venezuela. Caracas reacted by denouncing a “provocation”.

“The HSM Trento will visit our regional allies and fellow Commonwealth Guyana later this month as part of a series of engagements in the region during their patrol deployment in the Atlantic,” a British Ministry of Defense spokesperson said.

THE British ship that currently is deployed to the Caribbean to combat drug trafficking, it will change its mission to reach the territory of Guyana, according to the same source.

The BBC, the UK’s public radio, television and internet service, assures us so a demonstration of military and diplomatic support To the country. The media noted that the ship will participate in military maneuvers with other allies of Guyana, but without specifying which ones.

In addition to belonging to the Commonwealth, The country was a British colony until 1966when it became independent and changed its name from British Guiana to Guyana.

“The UK can give you everything you need to face Venezuela. Let us remember that Venezuela already has a significant military deployment. Then the United Kingdom will be able to provide it with weapons, naval equipment, training, military intelligence”, explains Guyanese professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in New York, to RFI.

The expert also highlights the importance of London’s diplomatic and financial assistance for disputes before the International Court of Justice. “Guiana, which is a very small country, they have to pay the lawyers defend it in The Hague. The United Kingdom could cover part of the costs, and this is also an important help to take into account”, adds the expert.

Venezuela denounces a ‘provocation’

“A warship in waters to be demarcated? Then? And the commitment to good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence? What about the agreement not to threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances? Let’s remain attentive to these provocations! “which put the peace and stability of the Caribbean and our America at risk!”, wrote the Venezuelan Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, in the December 14 meeting.

Guyana and Venezuela “agreed that they will not threaten or use force against each other, directly or indirectly, under any circumstances, including those arising out of any existing dispute between the two States,” part of a briefing said joint statement read by Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, guests of the mid-month meeting.

Although this is an age-old dispute, The dispute intensified in 2015 after the American oil company ExxonMobil discovered large deposits of crude oil. in the area covered by the claim.

Venezuela accuses Guyana of granting concessions in maritime waters to be demarcated and, after a referendum on the claimed area on December 3, began a process for state-owned PDVSA to grant licenses in the disputed waters.

The consultation also approved the creation of a province of Venezuela in the region and the attribution of nationality to its inhabitants.