Guyana on alert after US attack on Venezuela

News Clint Chan Tack 14 Hrs Ago

Guyana's Prime Minister Mark Phillips during a visit to Region One engaging Guyana Defence Force troops and ranks of the Guyana Police Force operating in border communities, in light of the US attack in Venezuela on January 3. -

GUYANA President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has met with the leadership of his country's national security apparatus on January 3, hours after the US attack on Venezuela, which led to the capture of that country's president, Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by members of the US Army's elite Delta Force.

A post on Ali's Facebook page said: "President Dr Irfaan Ali met early this morning with the Defence Board, the National Security architecture, regional commanders, and other senior security officials, amid the ongoing situation in Venezuela."

A subsequent post said, "Prime Minister, Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips, is currently in Region One engaging Guyana Defence Force troops and ranks of the Guyana Police Force operating in border communities, in light of recent developments in Venezuela."

Guyana and Venezuela have had a longstanding border dispute over the Essequibo region for decades.

In a separate statement, Caricom said the conference of its heads of government met early on January 3, following reports of military action in Venezuela.

"Caricom is actively monitoring the situation, which is of grave concern to the region, with possible implications for neighbouring countries. Caricom will continue to update the people of the Region as more information is received.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly supported all aspects of the US military deployment in the Southern Caribbean, which preceded the attack on Venezuela and Maduro's capture.

She has also differed with other Caricom leaders about the Caribbean being a zone of peace and described Caricom as unreliable because it supported Maduro's government over Trinidad and Tobago.

In a post on January 3, Persad-Bissessar confirmed the US military actions inside Venezuela.

"TT is not a participant in any of these ongoing military operations. TT continues to maintain peaceful relations with the people of Venezuela."

Persad-Bissessar has said the US is the only nation in the world that can protect TT from any external threat.