As an already tense geopolitical conflict escalates in South America, the fate of Essequibo, the Cinderella county, hangs in the balance. On Thursday, 9th of May, 2024, two US warplanes, during what was dubbed a flight exercise, flew over Georgetown and its environs.
Venezuela was quick to call out the exercise as an act of provocation, and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said shortly after that Venezuela’s anti-aircraft defense system was fully activated and ready to shoot down any military aircraft invading Venezuelan airspace, including the disputed Essequibo territory.
And that’s where it gets interesting. Venezuela threatened to shoot down any military aircraft violating its territory “including the disputed Essequibo region” which Venezuela claims is rightfully theirs. What’s interesting to note here is that the US fighter jets flew over the Demerara county, but not Essequibo. Venezuela threatened to shoot down the US military jets if it flew over the Essequibo, but the United States didn’t double-dare them.
This military exercise between Guyana and the United States is unprecedented. Military cooperation between Guyana and the United States of this magnitude has never happened before. It comes in the face of repeated subtle warnings and indications by the Maduro Regime that Venezuela may be planning a military incursion into the Essequibo. And it is easy to speculate that this military exercise was meant to send a message of deterrence to Venezuela by showing US support for Guyana.
A video was leaked from Venezuela today, 11th of May, 2024, showing tanks and other military equipment crossing over a recently constructed bridge onto the Ankoko Island. Unconfirmed reports coming from Venezuelan media suggest that Venezuela is currently also constructing a bridge from the Ankoko Island to Guyana.
Nicolas Maduro has expressed that he has no fear of the US military as he presses forward with his “organic law for the defense of the Essequibo.” In fact, Maduro has used false claims of US military bases in the Essequibo as a pretext for war with Guyana. The Venezuelan military may be a fearful one, but it is no match for the US military which would pulverize it in seconds.
