Guyana protests Venezuela’s construction of bridge to military base on Ankoko Island

Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 December 2024, 20:59 by Writer

The Guyana government has dispatched a formal letter of protest to Venezuela against that country’s construction of a bridge to a military base on Ankoko Island, Cuyuni River, that borders both countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

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“Guyana also registered its formal protest of the completion of a bridge built by the Venezuelan armed forces to link the Venezuelan mainland to Ankoko Island, and specifically to the military base which is situated on the part of Ankoko Island that belongs to Guyana,” the Foreign Ministry here said in a statement.

Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Amador Pérez Silva, who was Thursday “invited” by Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd, reportedly said Guyana would receive a reply to the protest note from his headquarters.

Despite border tensions, the two neighbouring South American nations said they were willing to cooperate against transnational crimes. “Ambassador Pérez Silva expressed Venezuela’s interest in partnering with Guyana to combat transnational organised crimes particularly trafficking in persons and human smuggling. In response, Minister Todd stated that Guyana is committed to collaborating to combat transnational organised criminal networks,” they said in a statement.

The Foreign Minister reiterated that Guyana would comply with the International Court of Justice’s decision on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award.

Mr Todd and Mr Pérez Silva also highlighted Guyana’s contribution to hosting thousands of Venezuelans who are fleeing the economic crisis.

Ambassador Pérez Silva also took the opportunity to thank Guyana for its commitment to international humanitarian law and human rights law in its treatment of the migrants from Venezuela. He stated that Caracas is aware of the tens of thousands of migrants from Venezuela fleeing economic hardship, which he classified as economic migrants, and noted the additional cost to the Government of Guyana.

Minister Todd, in his response, alluded to Guyana’s national policy initiative facilitated through the Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee on Migrants from Venezuela, which provides humanitarian assistance and social support to the migrants.