GEORGETOWN, Guyana - Venezuela’s ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Amador Pérez Silva, says the South American country has no intention of invading Guyana even if the December 4 referendum approves the move by Caracas to have Guyana's Essequibo region declared as a part of his country.
Venezuela’s ambassador to Guyana Amador Pérez Silva (Demerara Waves on line photo)“No, never,” he said insisting “it is no war, ok. Diplomacy and negotiation,” he said.
The diplomat told the Demerara Waves Online News that the deployment of troops along the border with Guyana was aimed at clamping down on gold smuggling and other crimes.
Pérez Silva said the December 3, referendum would be an “internal activity” for Venezuelans according to the law, adding “there is no intention whatsoever to create a conflict or something like that”.
The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has expressed concern at the recent escalation of tension between Guyana and Venezuela over the border controversy between them.
In a rare case of national unity, the Guyana parliament last Monday formally rejected Venezuela’s claims to ownership of the mineral and forest-rich county of Essequibo with both government and opposition legislators denouncing the move by Caracas.
The government has also denied Venezuela’s claim of joint efforts by the United States and Guyana to increase a military presence along the border with Guyana with Caracas also accusing President Irfaan Ali of continuing to “refuse to engage in direct dialogue” with the south American country on the border issue.
Guyana has already asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to block several questions being proposed by Venezuela which is seeking a popular vote in support of the South American government’s stance of not recognising the ICJ to settle the decades old border issue.
Venezuela’s planned referendum and its approved questions for the referendum later this year have set off a wave of criticisms, with the Guyana government accusing Venezuela of trying to annex parts of the country’s territory in contravention with international law.
The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat and and the Organization of American States (OAS) have also rejected the referendum stating that international law strictly prohibits the Government of one State from unilaterally seizing, annexing or incorporating the territory of another state and noted that the referendum will open the door to the possible violation of this fundamental tenet of international law.
Caracas has already indicated that on should the referendum be successful, it intends to grant citizenship and identification cards to inhabitants living in the Essequibo.
But the Venezuela envoy insisted that no military action was being planned.
“This is a misinterpretation because if you see in the social media blogs is that Venezuela pretending annexation of the Essequibo. No, we are going according to international law and diplomacy. We are not taking about any conflict, no war, nothing at all,” he said.
The Venezuelan diplomat said all stakeholders should await the ICJ sitting later this week when Caracas will make a “detailed explanation” on the issue.
He reiterated that the movement of troops close to Venezuela’s border with Guyana was aimed at tackling illegal gold mining, drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, gangs and other “internal security” matters as part of an operation codenamed “Operation Roraima”
“The mobilisation is in different States of Venezuela. It is nothing. It is not a provocation,” he added.
