The truce has lasted just two weeks in the Essequibo conflict. Nicolás Maduro has ordered the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) to immediately activate “a joint defensive action” over the eastern Caribbean of Venezuela (known as the Atlantic facade) upon the arrival of the British patrol vessel HMS Trent in Guyana’s waters. . The “people’s president”, meeting with his generals, explained that Guyana had ratified the arrival of the “threatening ship of the decadent former British empire”, which is why he has decided to launch this military response “in the face of the threat and provocation of the United Kingdom” .
“Venezuela cannot sit idly by in the face of a threat no matter where it comes from. Venezuela reserves all constitutional actions within the framework of International Law to defend our territorial integrity, our waters and our Atlantic,” Maduro exclaimed.
From London it is considered that the presence on the high seas of the patrol ship HMS Trent, which usually watches over the African coasts, is a gesture of support for its ally, but in Caracas, according to the statement issued by the Bolivarian Foreign Ministry, it is described as “an act of hostile provocation and a violation of the Argyle Declaration.” The Maduro government also accused the US Southern Command of “being synchronized” with these actions in what it considers “a direct threat to the peace and stability of the region.”
The Bolivarian government has warned the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) about the new crisis, guarantors of the agreements reached two weeks ago, where presidents Nicolás Maduro and Irfaan Alí committed to that “directly or indirectly, they will not threaten or use force against each other under any circumstances, including those arising from any dispute existing between both states.”
Since the escalation of war began, which scared the continent out of fear that Maduro would turn the Essequibo into his Venezuelan Malvinas, the Caracas government put the British Foreign Minister, “the failed and infamous” David Cameron, in its target of disqualifications, for being the “chancellor of the former imperial power of the United Kingdom.” Maduro blames the United Kingdom for being the cause of “the theft of Guayana Esequiba, which left as a legacy this controversy that we will know how to resolve through direct dialogue without malicious interference.”
Essequibo is a territory in dispute between both countries, rich in oil and under the administration of Guyana. During a patriotic referendum at the beginning of the month, Chavista threats proliferated, which included the declaration of annexation (which has not occurred) of that territory, which they renamed Guayana Esequiba. It was at that time that another of Georgetown’s allies, the United States, made flights over the conflict zone. In addition to the US and the United Kingdom, Ali has the support of the 15 Caricom countries, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Commonwealth.
Intelligence agencies of the revolution have dissected the voyage and the weapons available to HMS Trent. Her main weapons are a 30mm autocannon and four heavy machine guns.