HGP Nightly News – There is a growing unease over the expanding presence of United States military assets in the Caribbean, and Guyana has moved to clarify its position, striking a careful balance between regional diplomacy and hard security realities.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday that the Guyana Government is not aware of any planned military action by the United States against Venezuela. However, he made it clear that Georgetown will fully support any regional initiative aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks.
Speaking at a press conference, Jagdeo said Guyana’s cooperation with the United States has always been grounded in a shared objective: stopping the flow of illegal drugs through the region. “We support any fight against drug traffickers, and we will work with the United States of America collaboratively to support all of their activities at blocking drugs from going to the United States of America or from coming to Guyana,” he said, stressing that this policy long predates the current US military presence in the Caribbean.
Jagdeo pushed back against suggestions that Guyana is aligned with any aggressive posture toward its western neighbour, noting that discussions between Georgetown and Washington on security cooperation are transparent and well documented. In recent months, Guyana and the United States have deepened security ties through a series of formal partnerships designed to curb transnational crime, disrupt narcotics routes, and strengthen Guyana’s capacity to defend its borders and maritime space.
“As far as we are concerned, we have engaged with the United States of America, and they have assured us that they would support us in protecting our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Jagdeo said. “They have said this openly.”He also noted that the United States has provided assurances regarding the safety and security of assets operating in Guyanese waters, reinforcing confidence in the partnership at a time of heightened regional sensitivity.
The United States continues to expand its military footprint across the Caribbean as part of broader counter-narcotics and regional security operations, a strategy that has drawn sharp criticism from the Venezuelan government.
Guyana, however, maintains that its engagement with Washington is neither confrontational nor opportunistic. Instead, Jagdeo said, it is rooted in law enforcement cooperation, regional stability, and the protection of national sovereignty.
As geopolitical pressures mount in the wider Caribbean, Guyana’s position signals a clear message: it will not speculate on conflict, but it will not retreat from partnerships aimed at keeping drugs, crime, and instability out of its borders.
