Guyana Concerned About Buildup of Venezuelan Troops at Essequibo Border

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said he has alerted the relevant authorities of continued aggressions by Venezuela, including the buildup of troops at the shared border.

Speaking during a press conference , Jagdeo was questioned about a video circulating on social media that shows Venezuelan troops building a bridge on the Ankoko Island.

Jagdeo reminded citizens that Ankoko Island forms part of the border between Guyana and Venezuela and is shared by both countries, but Venezuela “forcibly took over” that island and acknowledged the buildup of troops there.

“We notified the relevant agencies about the continued attempts by Venezuela to build up a presence at our border in a threatening posture and that it is inconsistent with what we agreed to, which is that we want to keep this region as a zone of peace.

We are very vigilant, we are watching the developments, we are working with our allies on this manner and our primary occupation is the retention of our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Jagdeo said .

He reiterated that both countries signed the Argyle Declaration in December 2023 and that agreement stated, inter alia, that they will not threaten or use force against one another. 

The Presidents of both countries have also engaged each other, hoping to advance bilateral relations outside of the substantive border controversy.

The border controversy case is before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Guyana hopes for a full, final and binding judgement that the border between the two states was settled after the 1899 Arbitral Award and a reaffirmation that the Essequibo region belongs to Guyana.