OPINION: President Maduro and his Plan B, all Guyanese must be ready, stop seeing local enemies

Last Updated on Wednesday, 6 December 2023, 8:10 by Denis Chabrol

by GHK Lall

Just as I had thought, President Maduro has now made his intentions clear.  Just as I had articulated, the Venezuelan leader has given the first signals of how he plans to go about giving teeth to his visions.  Just as I had feared, Guyana now has to confront the sweep of actions that have been announced, as such have to do with Essequibo.

From one side of their mouths Guyanese spoke of ‘no stone left unturned.’  From the other side of their mouths, stones are hurled at other Guyanese for pointing to what was obvious.  Wars can be fought by other means.  Now Venezuela and Nicolas Maduro have all but declared war against Guyana and every inhabitant of this country.  We either get that in our heads, or the Venezuelans will take our heads.  We stand up for each other, have each other’s backs, or Venezuela will make sitting ducks of Guyanese.

Look at what is now gathering steam across the border.  It is obvious that Maduro had thought out in advance what his next moves were going to be post ICJ ruling, regardless of what it was.  If only my fellow Guyanese could get past the politics and self-destruction, and see this for all that it is embedded in Maduro’s Plan B, and his Plans C and the rest that I am almost positive that he has up his sleeve.  The man is fighting for his survival in more ways than one, and the soonest that every Guyanese could get this in their heads, the better all of us would be, the better fighting chance we give ourselves.

President Maduro did say that he was not going to invade Guyana.  He doesn’t have to; not when there are other tools at his disposal to be used.  He just did so, didn’t he, in his raft of steps that is set to go in motion?  This is the moment when Guyanese have to be at their soberest, their calmest.  We have to think like Maduro, but be one step ahead of him.  If Plan A is stifled, then there must be keenness as to what next he will try, and to where he will go, what extent try his luck, and push the envelope.  It is stretching, and already at a tense, strained point.

Foreign companies are operating in the interior.  Foreign governments have vested interests there and other places here.  Something has to give.  Guyana has taken its alarms and what are nothing less than grave developments to the UN.  Something has to give again, and it can only be in Guyana’s favor.  Will Senor Maduro push his palms deeper and longer into the fire, through more provocative actions against Guyana?  This is what Guyanese of all persuasions and from all places have to be focused on fiercely and uninterruptedly.  We look foolish when there is hustling to get the jump on other Guyanese.  Particularly those who speak to the obvious, as is now coming to past from across the border.

President Maduro has studied his options, and readied his chess pieces.  During this time, Guyanese has a rare moment of what may be called oneness (parliament, expressions, convictions).  Since then, there has been nibbling away and gnawing away at the fabric of this society from the inside of it.  Maduro and his people are thinking.  Guyanese are fighting their old demons, and joyfully doing so.  The US and the UN and the OAS and CARICOM could all be helpful, would all be of immeasurable value.  But at the end of the day, Guyanese are going to have to stand for what they say.  Out of their armchairs and in the field of conflict (however that rearguard, defensive action unfolds).  From behind their typewriters spilling ink, and be ready for their blood to be spilled.  We may not conquer, but we must not fail to compete, never yield, and extract the most painful and punishing prices.  If the earth of Guyana has to be scorched with our blood, then that is the choice that is left to us, and from it none must shrink.

Whatever my part is, I am ready.  This has gone beyond talking, it is time that each Guyanese condition their mind to be ready for fighting.  Some kind of brave fighting.  Some have left this country in a hurry recently.  Here I stand, and here I am ready to give my all, to die, if necessary.  I hope that there are others who think and feel the same way.  If our sacrifices are going to make a difference for Guyana, then the first order of business is to look beyond our noses, and take note who the real enemies are.  I leave alone flag waving and the old standards of divided house and so on.  This is a season of national crisis, and it is all shoulders to the wheel.  The radioactivity we cannot afford is to hold fellow Guyanese as enemies.  If none of this is embraced to the fullest, then we are not worthy of the many riches that are ours.  We must gather our minds to find ways to counter the growing Venezuelan terror.  I am ready to do whatever is assigned.