The United Kingdom is preparing to send a warship to Guyana in a gesture of diplomatic and military support for the former British colony.
The decision occurs within the framework of Venezuela’s renewed claims for the Essequibo, a territory rich in oil and minerals, which it disputes with Guyana.
The British Ministry of Defense confirmed that the ship HMS Trent to take part in joint exercises after Christmas.
Guyana, a member of the British Commonwealth, is the only English-speaking country in South America.
HMS Trent, a high seas patrol ship, had been deployed to the Caribbean to intercept drug traffickers but its mission was changed after the Venezuelan government threatened to annex Essequibo earlier this month.
That position raised the fear that Venezuela could invade and unleash the first war between states in South America since the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982.
Venezuela has long claimed the territory of Essequibo, a region of 159,500 square kilometers that covers about two-thirds of Guyana.
Its mountains and jungle are rich in gold, diamonds, bauxite and enormous oil deposits have been discovered off its coasts.
While Guyana’s economy is growing rapidly, Venezuela’s has been suffering for some time.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro called a referendum on December 3 to vindicate popular support for his country’s claim to Essequibo.
The result was widely controversial and conflictive, however Maduro ordered new maps and legislation showing Essequibo as part of Venezuela, appointed a new governor and offered Venezuelan identity cards to the inhabitants of the sparsely populated region.
He also ordered the state oil company PDVSA to issue crude oil extraction licenses.
Subsequently, Maduro met with the president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, and agreed not to resort to force, although he continues to maintain his territorial claim and both sides are still at odds over how to resolve the border dispute legally.
This week, merchant insurer Lloyd’s in London added Guyana to its list of riskiest shipping zones.
A British Ministry of Defense spokesperson told the BBC: “HMS Trent will visit our regional ally and Commonwealth partner Guyana later this month as part of a series of events in the region during her deployment on the Commonwealth Patrol Mission. Atlantic”.
HMS Trent mission
HMS Trent has 65 crew, a maximum speed of 24 knots and a range of 5,000 nautical miles.
The ship is armed with 30mm cannons and a contingent of Royal Navy cadets. She can also deploy Merlin-type helicopters and unmanned aircraft.
HMS Trent departed from her home port of Gibraltar at the beginning of December and is currently docked in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, over Christmas.
The warship is expected to anchor off Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, and conduct visits, joint activities and training with the Guyana navy and other allies.. It cannot be docked in the port because it is not deep enough.
The vessel is primarily used to combat piracy and illegal trafficking, fisheries protection, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and search and rescue operations, but the Royal Navy says it is also designed for border patrols and defensive diplomacy.
The decision to send HMS Trent to Guyana is part of a growing effort by the United Kingdom to demonstrate its international diplomatic support for its former colony.
This week, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the UK “will continue to work with partners in the region to ensure Guyana’s territorial integrity is maintained and prevent the rise [de tensiones]”.
David Rutley, British Foreign Secretary for the Americas, visited Georgetown on December 18, the first G7 representative to do so since Venezuela renewed its claim.
Promise that Guyana will have the “unequivocal support” of the United Kingdom and welcomed Venezuela’s commitment not to use force.
Rutley continued: “The border problem was solved 120 years ago. Sovereign borders must be respected wherever they are in the world.”
“The United Kingdom will continue to work with its partners in the region, as well as through international bodies, to ensure that the integrity of Guyana is maintained.”
For its part, The Foreign Minister of Venezuela, Yván Gil, criticized the visit, accusing the United Kingdom of destabilizing the region.
In a message published on the social network in a territorial controversy that they themselves generated.”
Venezuela disputes the border that was established by an international agreement in 1899.
Guyana was formerly known as British Guiana, before it achieved independence in 1966.
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