GDF soldier shot on border with Venezuela

Last Updated on Monday, 4 May 2026, 18:00 by Denis Chabrol

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) says  a soldier was  shot and injured Monday morning while on a patrol escort on the Guyana-Venezuela border.

He was shot twice to his right leg and has since been stabilised for evacuation to Georgetown for further medical attention, the GDF said in a statement.

The GDF remained silent on whether those who opened fire were Venezuelan security personnel or civilians. But a senior military officer would only say that he believed Venezuelan authorities are aware of those involved.  “We are being attacked from the Venezuelan side of the Cuyuni by a group who uses the jungle as cover from sight and fire. The Venezuelan authorities can not be unaware of this situation,” the officer said.

The GDF said the incident occurred at about 11:30 am as its boat patrol was escorting three civilian boats transporting personel and cargo from Makapa to Eteringbang came under fire in the vicinity of Black Water.

“The patrol returned fire and manouvred the convoy out of the area,” the defence force added.

The GDF says it continues to maintain an active operational presence along the
western border. “The Force remains fully committed to the protection of its personnel and the safeguarding of Guyana’s territorial integrity.”

In the past, Guyanese soldiers were shot at on that area.

Monday’s incident occurred as the International Court of Justice began hearings into the merits of the case about the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that settled the land boundary of Guyana and Venezuela.