Last Updated on Thursday, 15 May 2025, 22:24 by Writer
Chief-of-Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, on Thursday, said people traversing the Cuyuni River that borders a section of Guyana from Venezuela would now be searched increasingly, in the wake of three separate gun attacks on Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers while they were on a riverine patrol.
“We’ve had no reason to conduct frequent searches or stoppage. The current situation now warrants us to do that, and we will identify how and when we will do that,” he said in response to a question by Demerara Waves Online News.
He said the “whole of the Cuyuni River” belongs to Guyana , and so the GDF Coast Guard and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have “jurisdiction to patrol, stop and search anyone in that river”.
The Head of the GDF’s announcement came less than 24 hours after the third shooting at Guyanese troops by civilian-dressed men from the Venezuelan bank of the bordering Cuyuni River.
He detailed that the first incident occurred on May 13 at 5:15 p.m. when patrol vessels that departed the GDF base at Eteringbang for Outpost Makapa, armed men at the uninhabited Baboon location opened fire at the patrol using automatic weapons.
Secondly, on May 14, at 2:35 p.m., another GDF patrol departed Makapa and was heading to Blackwater when armed men at Baboon opened fire, and the GDF soldiers returned fire.
Three hours later, another patrol from Eteringbang came under fire at Baboon where over the years “these armed men would stop civilian boats and extort monies to traverse the river”.
“In the last 48 hours, we have had three such incidents. This is unprecedented. The Guyana Defence Force has, since the first incident, enhanced our operational posture and adopted drills that would mitigate and react whenever such incident occurred. These drills were executed with success. I am thankful that no one was injured on our side,” he said.
Mr Khan said an “incident free” patrol was conducted Thursday afternoon.
He said the GDF was patrolling by foot and boat, “ensuring that we define our borders and ensuring that no one is illegally coming across.”
Brigadier Khan said the GDF would remain vigilant and continue to patrol the Cuyuni River.
The Chief-of-Defence Staff said there were no Venezuelan gangs on the Guyana side of the land border and “if there are we would know.”
On Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dispatched a diplomatic note to Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry, requesting an investigation and for those responsible for the shootings between May 13 and 15, 2025, to be punished.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana via diplomatic communication to the Ministry People’s Power for Foreign Relations of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has registered its condemnation of these attacks and requested that a thorough investigation be carried out by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the perpetrators be apprehended and brought to justice,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Georgetown also planned to inform the international community about these latest incidents which are almost identical to the one that occurred on February 17, 2025 that resulted in injuries to six Guyanese soldiers.
The Foreign Ministry recalled that following that incident three months ago, Guyana had insisted that Venezuela take action to prevent further attacks on GDF soldiers from Venezuelan territory.
As Guyana did with the incident of February 17, 2025, the Foreign Ministry plans to bring these latest incidents to the attention of the international community.
Venezuelan elections
The Head of the GDF also warned that Guyana-based Venezuelans who cross the border to vote in Venezuela for the election of a governor of Essequibo would be deported. “Any Venezuelans living in Guyana and participate in such election will be arrested and deported,” he said.
“You can’t vote in a country of yours and come to our country and believe everything will be Ok,” he added. The Brigadier said the GDF has been receiving information about Venezuelans across Guyana “that we have acted on and will continue to act on so someone participating in such an election will eventually get to us.”
Mr Khan also said Guyanese who participate in the elections on May 25 would face stern action as such action would be regarded almost as a coup. “Any Guyanese should participate in such an election, there will be implications for that person.
This is almost like a passive coup because you’re voting in a foreign government to have or cede territory so that would be a serious offence.
Any Guyanese participating in such an election would be arrested and there will be implications,” he said.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn had previously said Guyanese participants in the Venezuelan legislative council and gubernatorial elections would be charged with treason, a crime punishable only by death.
Venezuela, based on a rigged December 2023 referendum that purportedly incorporated Guyana’s Essequibo Region as that Spanish-speaking neighbour’s 24th State, now intends to hold elections for a legislative council and a governor on May 25, one day before Guyana’s independence anniversary from British colonial rule.
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