News Americas, New York, NY, Mon. Feb. 19, 2024: Guyana’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has confirmed that an evaluation is underway following a violent attack on Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks by suspected Venezuelan criminal operatives.
The attack, which occurred on Monday, involved a group of heavily armed men firing on a GDF resupply vessel from Venezuelan territory along the Cuyuni River, resulting in six soldiers sustaining gunshot wounds. While there were no fatalities, two soldiers are in critical condition and had to be airlifted to the capital, Georgetown, for urgent medical treatment.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” President Ali stated at the Energy Conference at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown. He emphasized that the security forces are assessing the situation and will determine the necessary response to ensure the protection of Guyana’s military personnel and sovereignty.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Hilton Todd, urgently summoned Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Perez, to formally register Guyana’s outrage and demand redress for the attack. Minister Todd made it clear that Guyana holds Venezuela accountable under international law, stressing that Venezuela has a duty to prevent such armed incursions from its territory.
“The inaction of Venezuela in addressing these criminal gangs within its borders is a matter of serious concern. Guyana will not hesitate to fully exercise its rights under international law to hold Venezuela accountable,” Minister Todd declared.
The GDF stated that its forces remain committed to securing the nation’s borders and will take all necessary measures to counter any threats to national security. The incident is expected to further escalate tensions between the two South American neighbors, which have long been embroiled in a territorial dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
Guyana continues to call on Venezuela to take decisive action against criminal gangs operating near the shared border and to prevent any future attacks on Guyanese security forces.
