Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd, this morning summoned the Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Perez, to condemn and demand redress for yesterday’s armed attack on a Guyana Defense Force (GDF) supply vessel navigating in Guyanese waters between Eteringbang and Makapa.

The attack, by a group of heavily armed men firing on the GDF vessel from Venezuelan territory, injured six GDF troops, all with gunshot wounds. There were no fatalities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that while an investigation is in progress, preliminary indications are that the perpetrators are members of Venezuelan criminal gangs who operate with impunity on Venezuela’s side of the international border.

The Foreign Minister told Venezuela’s Ambassador that Guyana is outraged by yesterday’s attack, and that it holds Venezuela responsible.

He reminded the Ambassador that under international law, Venezuela is responsible for any harm caused to Guyana or its nationals by persons acting from Venezuelan territory, including private individuals unaffiliated with the Venezuelan Government or Armed Forces.

The Minister insisted that Venezuela complies with its international obligation not to allow its territory to be used to harm a neighbouring State and its duty to eliminate the presence of Venezuelan criminal gangs in the border region, and to prevent any future attacks on Guyana.

Noting that Venezuela maintains a significant military presence in the region, despite the absence of a security threat from Guyana, the Foreign Ministry said the Minister insisted that Venezuela deploys these assets against the criminal gangs within its territory that constitute a threat to both States.

Minister Todd further expressed his concern about the Ambassador’s failure to denounce yesterday’s incident, and Venezuela’s failure to take action.

He said inaction is complicity, and Guyana will not hesitate to fully exercise its rights under international law to hold Venezuela accountable.

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