Five more years of PPP/C leadership is needed to contain the threats posed by Venezuela. President Irfaan Ali and his government’s ability to manage Venezuela’s aggression on our border is keeping Guyana safe today and for the long term.
Venezuela’s egregious claim on two-thirds of our territory is persistent, filled with aggression and antagonistic behavior. Venezuela’s tactics are deployed in two manners: (1) a relentless disinformation campaign that targets Guyanese citizens and investors; and (2) military action on our shared land and maritime borders, as well as in our airspace. Further, Venezuela is frequently tied to masking illegal gold mining activities and giving haven to cartels and transnational criminal groups–all of which seek to destabilise our security and disrupt our development.
For every question Venezuela has raised, President Ali has had an answer. His and the government’s approach to keeping Venezuela at bay prioritises diplomacy, raises the alarm within the international system, and rallies support from our international partners, such as the United States. President Ali’s adept leadership in negotiating the Argyle Agreement and the relationships Guyana has built with the US Southern Command are notable examples.
Under the President Ali’s leadership, we have received the most pronounced statements and show of support from the United States regarding defending our sovereignty and territorial integrity from Venezuela. His government has also managed to enhance our military capabilities, including monitoring the border, training for our officers, and defence partnerships around the world.
Our bilateral relationship with Venezuela is more complex than many understand, never operating in a silo. Many actors are involved, each one having differing levels of influence on Venezuela’s aggressive behaviour and how Guyana must respond. For instance, the US push-pull relationship with Venezuela creates either incentives or disincentives for Nicolas Maduro to use aggressive tactics on our border. Further, the internal divisions within Maduro’s government and a fragmented political opposition–particularly in the wake of local and national elections–might determine the timing of Venezuela’s aggression.
These are just some of the factors President Ali contemplates regarding Venezuela. His government has five years of experience in managing this under its belt–experience that is invaluable and must be utilised over the next half decade. President Ali and his government have demonstrated an understanding of not just how Venezuela might act but the different pressure points within the international system that can prompt future aggression from Maduro.
It is a good reminder that President Ali is not just the leader of the country but is our commander-in-chief–tasked with keeping our national security intact from unwarranted and foreign threats. Five more years is not just critical, but it is a must. Development cannot ensue without security, both of which must operate in parallel. (Wazim Mowla)
*Wazim Mowla is the fellow and lead of the Caribbean Initiative at the Atlantic Council and senior advisor with the ACE Consulting Group.
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