The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, warned regarding a (recently discovered) covert operation aimed at fabricating a violent incident in disputed waters with Guyana, in order to blame the Venezuelan government and divert attention from the central debates of the upcoming Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
President Maduro revealed that sectors linked to the ExxonMobil transnational corporation and the government of Guyana were preparing an attack against one of its platforms in the zone pending delimitation, violating the Geneva Agreement. The objective would be to present Venezuela as an aggressor before the international community:
«We denounce the false ExxonMobil operation to attack our territory; to justify an alleged attack by Venezuela on Guyana at the upcoming Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC),» stated the President.
Attempt to sabotage the CELAC agenda:
The Venezuelan head of state asserted that the maneuver seeks to overshadow the crucial issues that will be discussed at the regional meeting, such as migration, economic development, and the defense of the peoples’ sovereignty:
«They want to taint the summit with a violent act that will confuse and try to cover up the major issues that CELAC will discuss. That is the truth,» stated Maduro.
A call to the conscience of the Caribbean:
The President called on the countries of the region not to allow themselves to be manipulated by the interests of the US oil company and Irfaan Ali’s government:
«We hope that our Caribbean brothers and sisters will open their eyes to the maneuvers against peace in the region,» he expressed.
Support by the National Armed Forces:
From the Venezuelan government, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López ratified the denounce and reaffirmed the readiness of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) to defend the territorial integrity.
The President’s warning comes amidst a growing tension in the area in dispute, while Venezuela reiterates its commitment to peace and the diplomatic resolution of controversies.
