On Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the deployment of the joint military exercise "Gen. Domingo Antonio Sifontes 2023" to protect the country's territorial integrity in response to the UK's threat with the arrival of the HMS Trent off the coast of Guyana.
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Venezuela Rejects Arrival of British Military Ship HMS Trent
During a year-end ceremony with officials from the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), Maduro rejected the presence of the British vessel is a military threat and provocation by the United Kingdom against "the peaceful and noble, but also warrior, Venezuelan people."
The acceptance of the British ship by the Guyanese government "is a breach of the Argyle Agreements," which were signed on Dec. 14 and assumed as a roadmap to resolve the territorial dispute over the Essequibo between Venezuela and Guyana.
The Venezuelan president pointed out that his administration activated all political-diplomatic mechanisms to stop the arrival of the HMS Trent. However, Guyana decided to allow its entry.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's text reads, "Greetings to TVFANB. Today it celebrates 10 years on the air, transmitting our glorious Bolivarian National Armed Force's message of peace, discipline, work, and patriotism. Continue revolutionizing communication. Happy anniversary!"
"Venezuela will not stand idle in the face of any threat, no matter where it comes from. We do not accept provocations. Venezuela has the right to defend its integrity," the Bolivarian leader emphasized.
Maduro recalled that during the St. Vincent & the Grenadines meeting, the Venezuelan government sought to consolidate the path of dialogue after close coordination with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
"We are responding proportionally to the threats: today, we have issued a statement, and we reserve all actions to defend Venezuela's sovereign areas," he added.
“The military force must have the alert map and be ten steps ahead of the movements of the enemy of Venezuela,” Maduro said when referring to the joint actions that the FANB deploys in the Caribbean area, as reported by the Defense Commission of the Essequibo.
During the year-end ceremony, he mentioned that the remains of Gen. Sifontes will be transferred to the place where the Venezuelan heroes rest in the National Pantheon.