On Monday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, reiterated her country's support for Guyana's territorial claims but denied any plans to establish a military base in this country.
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"We have been clear on this issue. We support Guyana's territorial integrity and sovereignty and the agreement on border divisions made in the 19th century," she said, referring to the 1899 Arbitral Award, which seeks to strip Venezuelans of their territorial rights.
During press statements at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) summit being held in Georgetown, Thomas-Greenfield said she was unaware if recent visits by high-ranking U.S. officials to Guyana are related to the establishment of a U.S. military base in the country.
"It's not something I know Guyana has requested. But part of the reason we are all visiting Guyana is because it is now on the international stage," she said, adding that Guyana has gained a "global position it hadn't had before" since this South American country is part of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
"The reason for being here, in addition to the Caricom meeting, was to have discussions with President Irfaan Ali and his administration on how we can partner in the Security Council," Thomas-Greenfield acknowledged.
Tensions over the Essequibo region have been revived since 2023 when Venezuela held a referendum through which millions of citizens ratified the historical rights of the Bolivarian nation over a region rich in natural resources such as oil and gas.
While presidents Nicolas Maduro (Venezuela) and Irfaan Ali (Guyana) held a meeting where they decided to avoid exacerbating those tensions, controversies tend to resurface with some frequency.
On Sunday, following the U.S. foreign policy narrative, Canadian International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen also expressed his support for Guyana and emphasized that his country expects a "peaceful and diplomatic" resolution to the dispute over the Essequibo.