The border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana continues to spread unrest in the region.
Venezuela intends to carry out a military exercise with more than 5,600 men after the announcement that Britain is sending a warship to Guyana. President Nicolas Maduro says the exercise is a response to the British “provocation” which he believes threatens Venezuela’s sovereignty.
The dispute between Venezuela and Guyana concerns the oil-rich border region of Essequibo, which, according to an arbitration award in 1899, belongs to Guyana. Venezuela continues to lay claim to the region and in December conducted a referendum which, according to the left-wing government, shows that the country’s population considers the province to belong to Venezuela.
Britain announced on Sunday that the ship HMS Trent is being sent to the waters around the former colony of Guyana. A source within Guyana’s Ministry of Defense says the British ship is to take part in a naval exercise at sea.