Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday vehemently condemned Venezuela’s attacks on Guyanese citizens and soldiers in the Cuyuni region.
Speaking during the commissioning parade for the Standard Officer Course 56, President Ali declared that “we condemn the attacks against our citizens and our military using the Cuyuni. We will not tolerate it.”
Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana escalated throughout 2025 due to multiple armed attacks in the Cuyuni region. The incidents involved Venezuelan-based armed men firing upon Guyanese military patrols and personnel, including those escorting election officials.
In February, armed Venezuelan men attacked a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) patrol boat on the Cuyuni River, injuring six soldiers. The GDF returned fire, and the attackers retreated. In May, armed men from the Venezuelan shore launched three separate attacks on GDF troops conducting riverine patrols; no Guyanese soldiers were injured during these attacks.
Then in August, a Guyanese Joint Services patrol escorting election officials and ballot boxes came under fire from the Venezuelan side of the Upper Cuyuni River. No one was harmed, and the team successfully completed its mission.
President Ali emphasised that Guyana has no quarrel with the Venezuelan people and reminded that the country has welcomed many of them who have sought refuge here, “just as our own citizens would have moved in our dark days of dictatorship.”
He further expressed that while the GDF stands ready to protect Guyana’s sovereignty and serve its people, “we do so with respect for peace and the rule of international law, ever guided by the understanding that strength must be exercised wisely, not recklessly.”
He noted that “our dispute and the controversy with the Venezuelan State is not born of hatred nor does it prevent us from seeking to advance our relations” but in the same breath, affirmed that “we will not compromise our sovereignty”.
President Ali posited that Guyana will rally with its partners to ensure its territorial space is protected and defended.
“We will defend it with our partners. We’ll defend it with our allies. We’ll defend it with those who stand on the side of freedom, sovereignty, democracy, and the rule of law,” he affirmed.
The Guyanese leader also restated the country’s commitment to peace beyond its borders, noting that “while we defend our territory and uphold the rule of law at home, we also champion these principles in the wider region, advocating for a Caribbean and Latin America free from threats of any sort.”
“…but equally also, we support every action and embrace every partnership to prevent transnational crime, the illicit drug trade, and any form of destabilisation that threatens the security of Guyana and this region,” the president said.
He added that, “acting against transnational crime strengthens the zone of peace because security, stability, and the rule of law are essential conditions for a truly peaceful region. By confronting these threats decisively, we protect our sovereignty while remaining fully committed to the vision of a Caribbean and Latin America free from aggression and conflict.”
According to the Guyanese Head of State, it is one thing to advocate for regional peace, and, another to ensure that “our own nation is secure and resilient”.
“By strengthening our capacity at home, we create the foundation from which Guyana can protect its sovereignty and contribute meaningfully to a stable and peaceful Caribbean and Latin America,” he posited.
In this regard, he expressed that Guyana will protect every inch of its territory with vigilance and resolve. “We will be smart. We will deploy technology in making our country more secure. We will be adaptable. We will meet threats across wherever they occur on the land, in the air, at sea, and in cyberspace. We will equip the Guyana Defense Force with the tools and training you need,” he noted.
In fact, President Ali noted that the GDF is currently the best equipped it has ever been in its history and he committed to ensuring more resources are invested to improve the country’s military assets.
However, he cautioned that the army’s strength is not measured only by its hardware but in the character and discipline of its troops and their ability to apply their skills ethically, wisely and effectively.
Moreover, President Ali emphasised that Guyana is building an army not for aggression and to only shield against threats, but also as a tool for “responsiveness in the face of disasters, a partner in the face of emergencies, a contributor to national progress, and an anchor of regional stability.”
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