British Warship Deployed to the Coast of Guyana, in Major Escalation of the Dispute Against Venezuela for the Oil-Rich Essequibo Region

All over the world, national borders between countries have become the focus of geopolitical tensions, as frontier disputes going back decades or even centuries are reignited.

In South America, the hundred year-old territorial boundaries between Venezuela and Guyana are once again a source of regional tensions.

Read: Guyana on High Alert Against Maduro’s Invasion Threat – Referendum’s Turnout Is Said To Have Been Very Low – Venezuelan Voters Also Allegedly Rejected Arbitration by International Court

Caracas renewed its claims to the 62,000-square-mile Essequibo region, which is internationally recognized as part of Guyana, after 11 billion barrels of recoverable oil and gas were found off the coast of Guyana in recent years.

After Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro held a controversial referendum over the claims for the area, diplomatic efforts have been in motion to keep the situation from escalating into a military conflict.

Read: Powder Keg America: Socialist Dictator Maduro Orders Venezuelan Companies To Start Prospecting Oil and Gas in the Disputed Waters of Guyana

But now, Guyana’s former colonial power, Britain is sending a warship to the region to help defend the rapidly developing country.

Guyana had the world’s highest real GDP growth rate in 2022, growing 62.4%, expected to expand by another 27.2% in this year.

Reuters reported:

“Britain will deploy a naval ship off Guyana later this month, its ministry of defense said on Sunday, as the South American nation faces a border dispute with neighbor Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region.

The deployment follows a visit by a British junior foreign minister to Guyana earlier this month, intended to offer the UK’s support for the country, an ally and former British colony.”

Read: BRINK OF WAR: Dictator Maduro Declares Oil-Rich Esequibo Region Part of Venezuela, Appoints Military Authority for the Area – Guyana Loses Troops in Helicopter Crash

The leaders of Guyana and Venezuela met earlier this month, and agreed to avoid use of force to solve tensions.

“Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said in a social media post on Sunday that his country would remain ‘on alert following provocations that put at risk the peace and stability of the Caribbean and our America’.”

Britain is deploying the Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Trent.

Sky News reported:

“HMS Trent – a ship used for “defense diplomacy” according to the government – will take part in joint exercises with Guyana after Christmas.

A Ministry of Defense spokesperson said: ‘HMS Trent will visit regional ally and Commonwealth partner Guyana later this month as part of a series of engagements in the region during her Atlantic patrol task deployment’.”

The British warship stayed in Barbados over Christmas, and will now head to Guyana for naval activities.

“Foreign Office minister for the Americas and Caribbean, David Rutley, reinforced the UK’s support for the Commonwealth country on a visit earlier this month.

Mr Rutley said: ‘The border issue has been settled for over 120 years. Sovereign borders must be respected wherever they are in the world’.”

Read more:

Exxon Mobil and Other US Oil Majors Defy Venezuelan Dictator Maduro’s Orders To Withdraw From Guyana’s Essequibo Area – Companies Move ‘Aggressively’ With Production Plans

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