Venezuelan Naval Incursion: Situation being continuously monitored – AG

It has been five days since a Venezuelan naval ship intruded Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where ExxonMobil and its co-venturers have discovered billions of barrels of oil.

Though the vessel has since departed Guyana’s waters, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall says the “situation is continuously being monitored”.

“And we have to be vigilant to ensure that further incursions are not made,” he affirmed, during his weekly program ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday evening.

On 1 March, at approximately 07:00hrs, Venezuelan naval vessel ABV Guaiqueiri PO-11-IMO 469552 sailed approximately 700 metres in Guyana’s EEZ near the Prosperity FPSO.

The Venezuelan naval vessel communicated threateningly via radio communication that Prosperity was operating in Venezuela’s EEZ, before continuing in a southwestern direction towards other FPSOs, to which it delivered the same message.

Nandlall said since the incident, the Guyana Government has activated a series of responses, including “our military presence”.

He said the government also called together its legal team for advice.

“We activated all mechanisms available to us in the region and beyond,” Nandlall said.

There has already been widespread condemnation of Venezuela’s actions from local, regional and international partners including the US government.

Of significance, Nandlall highlighted, is that President Dr Irfaan Ali also met with Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on the situation where they agreed to hold a united stance in defence of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Nandlall criticised those members of the opposition who were critical of Norton for attending the meeting with the President, deeming their positions “irresponsible”.

“There are certain times and there will always be certain matters, when they arise, they must not be contaminated and polluted by any other issue than the issues themselves and the sovereignty of our country, our national security, our territorial integrity are paramount among those issues that when they arise, they require our unadulterated, unreserved and undiluted attention,” Nandlall said.

The Guyana Government has since sent a formal protest to Venezuela over the recent developments.

Guyana reminded that all the activities which the Government of Guyana has authorised to be undertaken in its EEZ are entirely within the maritime areas appurtenant to the sovereign coastal territory of Guyana, as defined by the Arbitral Award of 1899.