Last Updated on Friday, 23 May 2025, 21:04 by Writer
Two days ahead of Venezuela’s planned elections for a governor of Guyana’s Essequibo Region, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd told the National Assembly that there is no sign that such polls would be held in this country.
“While our intelligence is that there is currently no physical activity taking place in any of our communities close to the border or suggest that there is any preparation for an election to be conducted in our Essequibo, it is important for Venezuela to understand that Guyana will not be bullied, threatened or intimidated to surrender any portion of our patrimony,” he told the National Assembly in opening debate on a government-sponsored motion.
The sham gubernatorial elections are slated for May 25 in keeping with a low turnout referendum and its April 2024 “Organic Law in Defence of Guayana Esequiba” to purportedly annex the Essequibo Region and make it Venezuela’s 24th State.
Except for occasional air and sea incursions into the Essequibo Region, Venezuelan troops have so far not crossed the land border between the two South American nations.
In contrast, they have named a Venezuelan town, Tumeremo, several miles west of the north-west border.
In recent months, Guyana Defence Force soldiers have come under fire by armed Venezuelan soldiers.
Venezuela has not condemned those acts and on the first occasion had accused the servicemen of invading its purported territory, Guayana Esequiba.
President Irfaan Ali earlier this week restated that Guyana was relying on support from its international partners to assist in safeguarding this country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Chief-of-Defence Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Omar Khan earlier this month warned that Venezuelans, who reside here and travel to their homeland to vote in those elections, would be deported on their return.
Guyanese who participate in such polls would also be charged with treason.
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