London sends warship to Guyana

According to the BBC, the patrol boat is due to take part in military maneuvers after Christmas with other allies of the former British colony.

The United Kingdom will deploy a military patrol ship in support of Guyana, in the midst of a crisis with Venezuela around the Essequibo, London said on Sunday December 24. “THE HMS Trent will travel to Guyana, our regional ally and Commonwealth partner this month for a series of engagements in the region”writes the British Ministry of Defense in a press release, without further details.

According to the BBC, the patrol boat must participate in military maneuvers after Christmas with other unspecified allies of the former British colony, for whom London had already shown its support by dispatching its Secretary of State for the Americas. THE HMS Trentusually based in the Mediterranean, was sent to the Caribbean at the beginning of December to fight against drug trafficking.

Venezuela and Guyana stick to their positions

Tension rose after the launch of oil tenders by Guyana in September, then the referendum organized in response on December 3 in Venezuela on the annexation of the Essequibo, a territory of 160,000 km2 rich in oil and natural resources. , administered by Georgetown and claimed by Caracas.

Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali, and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, met on December 15 in a summit that helped ease pressure, with a mutual promise not to use force, but not to has not resolved the dispute, with both countries sticking to their positions.