In wake of new satellite images showing Venezuela continuing its build-up of military assets close to the border with Guyana, the US Government has indicated that it is monitoring the situation closely.

At a White House press conference on Monday, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said while there is no indication of any impending hostilities or significant military activities, there will be close monitoring.

“We’ve obviously been monitoring this closely, ourselves.  Our assessment is that whatever military movements there have been by Venezuela have been of a very — of a small nature and size and scale and scope.  We see no indication that there’s about to be hostilities or that the Venezuelan military would be capable of conducting any significant military activities there.  We continue to urge a peaceful resolution to this.  And, obviously, we’re going to continue to watch it closely.  You know, I would remind that anything that we’re doing down in Guyana or in that area is done fure- — purely for defensive purposes”, Kirby told the White House press corps on Monday.

The satellite images were captured back in January and released this past weekend by the Centre for Strategic International Studies. The images show the clearing of more land and the movement of military vehicles in the area. It is suspected that it is a new military base that Venezuela is establishing near to the border with Guyana.

The Foreign Ministers of Guyana and Venezuela met three weeks ago in Brazil, as part of the follow up to the meeting between the Presidents of the two countries in December in St. Vincent.

That meeting led to the formation and sign on to the Argyle Declaration, which essentially sought to ease the tension between the two neighbouring countries, while getting them to commit to stay away from any action that would antagonize the situation.

Guyana currently has Venezuela before the International Court of Justice seeking a juridical and final settlement to the border controversy.

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