Baramita needs more soldiers- village leader; GDF always on standby for deployment- NSA

Last Updated on Monday, 26 May 2025, 12:10 by Writer

Two days after Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn said Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers would have to initially respond to a Venezuelan invasion while foreign military assistance arrives, concern was raised on Sunday that there are very few Guyanese soldiers stationed at Baramita near the border.

That section of the Guyana-Venezuela border is located about two hours on foot from Baramita.

Deputy Toshao of the Baramita, Unita James, told reporters on Sunday that a mere six GDF soldiers were located in Baramita.

“I think we need more security on our border, like secure our border more, like more soldiers,” she said when asked what more would she like to see be done to guarantee her confidence level or safety in relation to Venezuela.

Reading from a prepared statement, she stressed that “Essequibo belongs to Guyana”.

“We all should feel safe and secure in Baramita,” she said, adding that the GDF Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Omar Khan and National Security Adviser, Retired Captain Gerry Gouveia would ensure that “we are safe in Guyana and ensure our border is safe as well.”

The NSA Advisor said the border was being monitored and, if necessary, more troops would be deployed.

Mr Gouveia said the Guyana government has domain awareness along Guyana’s borders, and so the current military strength in Baramita indicates the threat assessment by the military high command.

“This is a kind of tripwire security that we set up and certainly if there is any intelligence and information that tell us that there is a change of the situation, then it will be reinforced,” he said when asked by Demerara Waves Online News.

In remarks to residents gathered at a community centre, Mr Gouveia reassured them that “Guyana is safe. All 83,000 square miles are 100 percent belonging to Guyana,” he said.

A resident, who asked the NSA at the meeting whether there was a record of the number of Venezuelans in Baramita, later told Demerara Waves that she was concerned because there are several entry points along the border.

“It’s just my opinion that there may have persons in here whom we the villagers don’t know about because they come into the village from different angles and when they come, there is not a system where they are being interviewed or being recorded. There is no such record to show that there are so much persons in the village here,” she said.

Mr Gouveia told the woman that the soldiers, police and immigration officers were present.

He said the immigration officers share the data with the Central Immigration and Passport office in Georgetown.

“I want to make it very clear to you that Venezuelan citizens are not our enemies. We have been living alongside Venezuela for all our life. The problem we have is with the Venezuelan government who is making this illegal claim against us,” he told the villagers.

He said that many Venezuelans have Guyanese roots.

Last Friday, during a parliamentary debate on a government-sponsored resolution on Venezuela’s claim to the Essequibo Region, the Home Affairs Minister conceded that Guyana could not “stand up toe-to-toe” with Venezuela’s army which has more than 150,000 members or more than 30 times the GDF.

He also said Venezuela’s equipment is of a “much superior quality and quantity”.

“Anybody, who thinks we can go toe-to-toe and get wiped out at the first engagement, has to be crazy. There is no way we can stand up and go toe-to-toe with them,” he said.

He hoped that the international community, including the United States, United Kingdom Canada and The Commonwealth, would assist Guyana in responding to a military conflict with Venezuela.

He noted that, meantime, Guyana has been practicing regionally with those partner and interacting with them about how to respond to such an eventuality.

“We know that we can only deal with this matter to the fullest extent, if it comes to blows, if we get the full support of our CARICOM brothers, our international partners…We know that we can only deal with this matter if it comes t0 a real contest if we have their support and we have been assured of their support and I want to thank them again for plainly, including the CARICOM, stating that the support is ready and waiting,” he said.

The Home Affairs Minister said Guyana was maintaining control of its territory along the Cuyuni River from Eteringbang down river.

He said Venezuelans only have “innocent passage” on the Cuyuni River and Guyanese authorities would not tolerate anyone shooting at Guyanese who are working in the area or using the river.

“They cannot shoot and do things to interfere with our people without the representative and the adequate response. If they shoot at us, we’ll shoot back two or three times more because the territory is ours and we will respond and we have responded in every instance,” he said.

Mr Benn, a geologist by profession, again urged Guyanese to occupy Essequibo by taking advantage of mining, tourism and other opportunities there.

In February, six Guyanese soldiers, who were in a boat on a resupply mission, were shot and injured by civilian-dressed persons in Venezuela.

Earlier this month, similarly clad men opened fire on three separate occasions on GDF soldiers.

None of them was injured.

Meanwhile, on the eve of Guyana’s 59th Independence Anniversary, the GDF said it raised the Golden Arrowhead at Eteringbang—just 800 metres from the Venezuelan border, “in a bold and strategic display of national sovereignty.”