GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC –—cited States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned Venezuela that it would face harsh consequences if it attacked assets in Guyana’s Stabroek Block or tatookilitary action against Guyana i Rubio was speaking during a press conference here on Thursday, following a bilateral meeting with President Dr. Irfaan Ali.
“It would be a terrible day for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil or anything like it…..it would not end well for them. I won’t get into details of what we’ll do.”
The Secretary of State also noted the presence of a US Navy vessel in Guyana’s waters, saying this is “demonstrating our ability.”
He added that the US has a “big navy” and “we have commitments that exist today with Guyana.”
“We want to build on those, expand on those, and we’ll leave it for the appropriate time, but suffice it to say that if, if that regime were to do something, such as that it would be a terrible move, it would be a big mistake for them,” he said.
On March 1, Venezuela sent a military, offshore patrol vessel into Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and communicated with several ExxonMobil-operated floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels and other vessels, telling them that they were in Venezuelan waters that are disputed and yet to be delimited with Guyana.
Meanwhile, Ali pledged to afford the United States special treatment in exchange for Washington’s support for its defense and other areas.
Speaking during the news conference, the president said they discussed the impact that the imposition of fines on China-built ships would have on the Caribbean. At that juncture, he was quick to point out that Guyana would be flexible with the US, a “great friend of ours.”
‘I will say very boldly that such friends must have some different and preferential treatment because a friend who will defend me when I need a friend to defend me must be a friend that enjoys some special place in our hearts and our country and that will be the case,” he said.
Ali also said the US has made it clear that it would “stand” by Guyana in its development, economic expansion, security, and defense.
President Donald Trump’s administration said it envisioned a relationship with Guyana akin to those with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations>
“The security of Guyana is a key priority for us in the same way that we have been working with countries in the Gulf states to ensure the security cooperation from the regional threats there,” said Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US special envoy on Latin America.
Rubio, who flew to Guyana after talks in Jamaica, will also stop later Thursday in neighboring Suriname, whose oil production is rising.
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