Venezuela Border Crisis With Guyana Escalates Just As Tension With Colombia Is Resolved

Representatives of Venezuela’s eastern neighbor Guyana claim that Venezuelan troops are have been building up along it’s border for over a week, Reuters reports. The accusation comes just a day after Venezuela resolved a major border tension with one of its western neighbors, Colombia. That dispute saw the buildup of Venezuelan troops and an increase in fighter jet patrols along Colombian air space activity. Is Venezuela not trolling another one of it’s neighbors?

Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López acknowledged a troop presence near Guayana, in the oil-rich peninsula of Paraguaná in eastern Venezuela, but said that it was a mere exercise.

“We’re doing an exercise in the eastern part of the country, an exercise that concerns operational deployment,” Padrino López told La Iguana .

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was less conciliatory, retweeting a state media story titled “Maduro calls on Guayana to respect the Ginebra agreement to resolve differences of Esquebido.”

Venezuela and Guyana have an ongoing border dispute that dates back to 1899 and escalated in 1966 and 1990 following oil discoveries.

Guyanese Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman called Venezuela’s reported troop presence 57 kilometers (35 miles) from the eastern border a “display of force,” according to the Jamaican Observer . In response, Guyana has beefed up its own military presence along the border.

“We consider this an affront to our sovereignty,” said Guyana Defence Force Brigadier Mark Phillips.

Venezuela’s border with Colombia is still closed, but the two countries have normalized diplomatic relations, returning ambassadors to their respective embassies.

Venezuela accuses Colombia of complacency in illegal smuggling, and has deported thousands of Colombians it says were living in Venezuela illegally.

Guyanase president David Granger's unity government twitter feed stated on Tuesday that the country would bring up Venezuela's troop movements

Fearing a Venezuelan crackdown on borders, Guyanese VP Carl B. Greenidge urged residents to only use legal ports of entry. He also told residents further from the border area to stay calm, and for those closer to the border to stay on alert.

Nicolas Maduro released his own video on Tuesday, pledging that Venezuela would get the disputed territory back, but by diplomatic means.

"We are a country of peace," Maduro said, adding he "completely respects" Mr. Granger and the Guyana.