Guyana pledges “preferential” treatment to US

Last Updated on Thursday, 27 March 2025, 21:04 by Writer

President Irfaan Ali on Thursday pledged to afford the United States (US) special treatment in exchange for Washington’s support for its defence and other areas.

Speaking at a news conference he shared with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio at State House, Main Street, Georgetown, Dr Ali said they discussed the impact that the imposition of fines on China-built ships would have on the Caribbean. It was at that juncture that he was quick to point out that Guyana would be flexible with the US, a “great friend of ours”.

“I will say very boldly that such friends must have some different and preferential treatment because a friend who will defend me when I need a friend to defend me, must be a friend that enjoys some special place in our hearts and in our country, and that will be the case,” he said.

Dr Ali said the US has made it very clear that it would “stand” by Guyana in its development, economic expansion, security and defence.

Earlier in the news conference, the US Secretary of State vowed that the US would not tolerate any further Venezuelan military aggression against Guyana or attacks on ExxonMobil’s assets in the Stabroek Block which is now producing 650,000 barrels per day of crude. The American supermajor is also preparing to begin crude production at Longtail which could eventually produce 1 to 1.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day.

“It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil or anything like it,” he said.

Unlike more vociferous and forthright positions by sister Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states – Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica – in defence of the hiring of Cuban health workers, Guyana appeared to be tiptoeing around the issue in order not to offend the US.