US aircraft complicate Venezuela’s neighboring country plan
Venezuela’s Plan for Neighboring Country Gets Complicated as US Aircraft Appear Overhead
He may have faded from the headlines, given that he no longer faces a credible threat to his dictatorship and fresher international crises have replaced him the headlines, but socialist hardliner Nicolás Maduro is still leading Venezuela — and he’s still a danger to his country and the world.
Thankfully for his neighbors — particularly Guyana — the United States military has their back.
After calls by Maduro to seize oil-rich territory from its smaller South American neighbor in recent weeks, a U.S. flyover of Guyana’s border region on Thursday showed Maduro’s thugs in Caracas that America still means business.
In collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) will conduct flight operations within Guyana on December 7.
This exercise builds upon routine engagement and operations to enhance security partnership between the United States and Guyana, and to strengthen regional cooperation.
The embassy added that USSOUTHCOM will continue its collaboration with the GDF in the areas of disaster preparedness, aerial and maritime security, and countering transnational criminal organizations.
Not mentioned in the statement, but underlined by recent events, is that a potential border conflict has been in the works between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region, which CBS News notes “has been administered and controlled by Guyana for more than a century, although Venezuela also claims the disputed area.”
Venezuela recently conducted a referendum, which it claims citizens supported, that aims to give Venezuela authority over the Essequibo region,” CBS News said in a Thursday report. “Guyanese officials said in response that the country is preparing to defend itself and its borders in case of an invasion.
The current borders were set by international arbitrators in an 1899 ruling, according to CNN. But on Tuesday, Maduro told legislators in his country they should set aside that ruling and accept a “new map” that includes the Guyanese territory.
Even with its recent difficulties — Venezuela’s troubles are so great that the United Nations reports it’s the site of “the second largest international displacement crisis in the world with 7.3 million Venezuelans displaced globally” — it still remains an exponentially more powerful nation militarily than Guyana does.
As of 2019, according to Newsweek, Venezuela’s armed forces had 515,000 personnel with about 130,000 troops on the front lines. Compare this to Guyana’s military strength of roughly 3,000 personnel in the same year, according to an analysis by Macrotrends.
However, that massive numerical advantage is totally useless if the United States lends some measure of support to Guyana in the event of an invasion — which, given the flyover, seems like a given.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, Venezuelan officials complained loudly about the show of force.
“This unfortunate provocation by the United States in favor… of ExxonMobil in Guyana is another step in the wrong direction,” said Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez in a statement on social media, according to Barron’s.
“We warn that we will not be diverted from our future actions for the recovery of the Essequibo,” he added.
However, it seems unlikely that the Venezuelan government would risk trying to take a region of Guyana that’s home to about 125,000 of the country’s roughly 800,000 citizens if it was assured of armed conflict where the United States commits some aid and training — if not directly contributing troops, which could be problematic in terms of a longer conflict — to the Guyanese. And that does appear to be the tack President Joe Biden’s administration is taking with the crisis, given that Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Guyanese President Irfaan Ali that America has “unwavering support for Guyana’s sovereignty.”
Of course, there’s potentially something to be said for the fact that the Biden administration’s weakness on foreign policy could be seen as a factor in the saber-rattling from Caracas to begin with, as it has been an inducement for the likes of Vladimir Putin and Hamas to take on
How does the involvement of the United States in the border conflict between Guyana and Venezuela affect the balance of military power?
Doesn’t intervene. With the presence of the United States military in the region, Venezuela’s plan to seize territory from Guyana becomes much more complicated.
The recent flyover of Guyana’s border region by US aircraft sends a clear message to Maduro and his regime in Caracas that the United States stands firmly with its allies and will not tolerate any aggression. The exercise conducted by the US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) in collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) demonstrates the commitment to enhancing security partnerships and strengthening regional cooperation.
The potential border conflict between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region has been a long-standing issue. Guyana has administered and controlled the territory for over a century, while Venezuela also claims the disputed area. Venezuela recently conducted a referendum claiming citizen support for its authority over the Essequibo region. In response, Guyanese officials have stated their determination to defend themselves and their borders in case of an invasion.
The current borders were established by international arbitrators in 1899, but Maduro is now urging his country to ignore that ruling and accept a “new map” that includes the Guyanese territory. This attempt to disregard international agreements and seize land from a smaller neighbor is deeply concerning.
Venezuela’s military strength, despite its internal troubles, remains significantly superior to that of Guyana. However, with the involvement and support of the United States, Guyana gains a much-needed advantage. The United States military’s intervention is a crucial deterrent to any potential aggression from Venezuela.
It is worth noting that Venezuela is currently facing immense challenges, including an economic crisis, political unrest, and mass displacement. The United Nations has declared it the site of the second-largest international displacement crisis in the world, with 7.3 million Venezuelans displaced globally.
In conclusion, while Nicolás Maduro and his regime in Venezuela continue to pose a threat to their country and the world, the presence and support of the United States military provides a sense of security for neighboring countries like Guyana. The recent flyover and collaboration between the US military and the Guyana Defence Force demonstrate the commitment to enhancing security partnerships and countering potential aggression. The international community must remain vigilant and support efforts to uphold established borders and prevent further destabilization in the region.
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