by Denis Chabrol (Demerara Waves) Venezuela would not invade Guyana even if people vote ‘yes’ to the declaration of Essequibo as a State of that western Spanish-speaking neighbour, that country’s Ambassador Carlos Amador Pérez Silva said Sunday.
“No, never,” he said when asked whether Venezuela would invade Guyana, even if Venezuelans vote in favour of the declaration of Essequibo as a State of Venezuela. He attributed to the feeling among sections of Guyana that there would be an invasion to misinterpretation and anxiety. “It is no war, ok. Diplomacy and negotiation,” he said.
He also told Demerara Waves Online News that the deployment of troops along the border with Guyana was aimed at clamping down on gold smuggling and other crimes.
Mr Pérez Silva said the December 3, 2023 referendum would be an “internal activity” for Venezuelans according to the law. “There is no intention whatsoever to create a conflict or something like that,” he said.
In the past, Venezuela’s fighter jets and navy have invaded Guyana’s air and sea space and chased out seismic research vessels from Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
