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WORLD NEWSWednesday 23 September
Guyana: Venezuela deploys troops to border Colombia, Venezuela agree with
returning ambassadors to posts
BERT WILKINSON Guyana’s President David Granger poses for a photo in Brasilia,
Associated Press Brazil. On Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015, Granger has accused Ven- JACOBO GARCIA
GEORGETOWN, Guyana ezuela of deploying troops to a contested border region in what Associated Press
(AP) — Guyana’s Presi- he called a “dangerous” escalation of a long-running dispute QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Colombia and Venezuela
dent David Granger said between the two South American nations. agreed early Tuesday to redeploy ambassadors who
Tuesday that Venezuela were withdrawn in a month-old dispute that has par-
has deployed troops to a (AP Photo/Joedson Alves) alyzed trade and movement along their border.
contested border region in The announcement came after the presidents of the
what he called a “danger- that comprises about 40 with Guyana phasing out two neighbors met in Ecuador’s capital for five hours
ous” escalation of a long- percent of Guyana’s terri- oil purchases from its larger discussing Venezuela’s decision to close its border
running dispute between tory. Venezuela extended neighbor and Venezuela with Colombia and begin deporting Colombian mi-
the South American na- its maritime claims, issuing a switching to other countries grants.
tions. map that would have ren- for rice supplies. The leaders did not announce a reopening of bor-
The government of Presi- dered Guyana landlocked, Guyana has asked the U.N. der checkpoints, as some people on the frontier had
dent Nicolas Maduro after a subsidiary of Exxon to mediate the border dis- hoped. They said only that their governments would
made “extraordinary mili- Mobil Corp. announced it pute and Granger is ex- work toward a gradual normalization of the situation
tary deployments,” along had made a significant oil pected to raise the issue at on the border, without explaining what that might
what Guyana considers its discovery about 120 miles the upcoming General As- look like. The crisis began when Venezuelan Presi-
western border, Granger (193 kilometers) off Guy- sembly meeting. dent Nicolas Maduro deported 1,500 Colombians mi-
told reporters. ana, which awarded the Venezuela has recently dis- grants he blamed for smuggling that his government
He called the develop- drilling concession. patched troops to its bor- contends has helped empty supermarket shelves in
ment a “hostile and ag- Since then, the two sides der with Colombia as part the country. An additional 16,000 Colombians, some
gressive” step in a border have engaged in repeated of what it has portrayed as of whom had lived in Venezuela for years, left vol-
dispute that dates to the rhetorical exchanges and a crackdown on smuggling untarily, fearing reprisals from troops who were seen
19th century but has grown scaled back commerce, and other crimes.q bulldozing homes and forcing people to flee across
more heated over the past a border river with belongings slung on their backs.
year following a major off- Although the deportations and mass exodus of Co-
shore oil discovery in waters lombians have stopped, Maduro and Colombian
claimed by both nations. President Juan Manuel Santos had been sharpening
“We feel that Venezu- criticisms of each other, while communities on both
ela is treading a danger- sides of the border suffered from the closure of all
ous course at this point in land crossings along a border five times the length of
time rather than seeking the one separating France and Germany.
a peaceful resolution of Maduro accused Santos of being complicit in what
the matter,” Granger said. he has alleged was a plot hatched by right-wing ele-
“Venezuela seems to be ments in Colombia and the U.S. to overthrow his so-
pursuing a very offensive cialist government. But he struck a conciliatory tone
and aggressive course.” in his remarks after Monday’s meeting, saying com-
The Maduro government mon sense and a spirit of mutual cooperation had
had no immediate com- prevailed.
ment but Venezuela has Santos, who successfully restored relations with Vene-
long claimed a jungle area zuela after his predecessor threatened war with Ven-
known as the Essequibo ezuela’s late President Hugo Chavez, had thrown
off his habitual restraint and said Maduro’s socialist
As dry season nears; revolution was self-destructing and using tactics em-
ployed by Nazi shock troops.
Caribbean braces for worsening drought In recent days, Colombia denounced an illegal fly-
over of three Venezuelan fighter jets as well as an
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) tinue to warm the tropi- the Caribbean. incursion into its territory of a Venezuelan National
— The most severe drought cal Pacific until early next The Caribbean Institute for Guard patrol chasing an individual whose motor-
to hit the Caribbean in re- year. That will translate into Meteorology and Hydrol- cycle they burned when he fled. On the eve of the
cent years is expected to sparse rainfall for a largely ogy issued a report this talks, Maduro announced a plan to purchase 12 new
worsen despite rains from parched region as the dry month stating that many is- Russian fighter jets.
tropical storms that have season approaches. lands in the eastern region Monday’s meeting was brokered by Ecuadorean
replenished some reser- El Nino has produced a qui- remain in drought. Officials President Rafael Correa, a close ally of Venezuela,
voirs. et hurricane season of nine also warn that the current and Uruguay’s President Tabare Vazquez, the cur-
Forecasters say El Nino named storms, with only wet season will likely end rent rotating head of the 12-member Union of South
phenomenon is gather- two having dumped signifi- before the traditional Nov. American Nations. q
ing strength and will con- cant rainfall over parts of 30 date. q
