MIAMI. The government of USA sends the Undersecretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere, Daniel P. Erikson, on a two-day visit to Guyana on Monday, January 8 and Tuesday, January 9. The information was released by the US embassy in a statement.
According to the announcement, “this visit to Guyana underscores the continued importance the United States places on the bilateral defense and security partnership between the United States and Guyana in support of regional stability.”
According to the newspaper StrabroeknewsUndersecretary Erikson is scheduled to meet with the Government of Guyana, the Guyana Defense Force Guyana (GDF) and the leaders of the Community of Caribbean (Caricom) to discuss the United States’ defense and security partnership with Guyana and its regional partners.
The visit of the American official takes place amid tensions between Guyana and Venezuela for the Essequibo border dispute. On December 28, the head of the Venezuelan regime, Nicolás Maduro, ordered military exercises to be carried out by the Armed Forces in what was announced as a defensive action after the entry of an English ship into the disputed waters.
United States military alliance
The visit of the Undersecretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere represents his first trip in 2024 and is framed within military alliances.
“The United States continues to work closely with its allies around the world to strengthen alliances and partnerships by improving interoperability, deepening information sharing and planning, and conducting complex joint and combined exercises,” noted the embassy in Georgetown.
In December 2023, after the consultative referendum on the Essequibo in Venezuela, the Southern Command of the USA and the Guyana Defense Force deployed “aerial exercises” in Guyanese territory. This activity was presented as routine operations.
At that time it was reported that Southern Command will continue to collaborate with the GDF in aspects such as disaster preparedness, air and maritime security, and in the fight against transnational criminal organizations.
Likewise, in September of last year, a group of soldiers from the United States Army’s 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) traveled to Guyana to work with the Defense Force “to increase readiness through integration at the tactical and operational level”.
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Source: United States Embassy in Guyana / Strabroeknews
