Venezuela to hold military exercises after Britain deploys warship to Guyana

Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Venezuela said it would stage military exercises after Britain diverted a warship to support Guyana amid an escalating territorial dispute between the South American neighbors.

President Nicolas Maduro said the maneuvers involving 5,600 troops were in response to what was "practically a military threat from London" that broke the "spirit" of a deal between Venezuela and Guyana to peacefully resolve their dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region.

Venezuela's hand had been forced by the "provocation and threat of the United Kingdom against peace and the sovereignty of our country," Maduro said Thursday in a TV broadcast.

Tensions have been on the rise since Venezuelans voted Dec. 3 to annex the 61,000 square-mile Guyanan-administered region that borders the two countries but makes up two-thirds of Guyana's land area.

Guyanese Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo sought to calm the situation insisting the Royal Navy's involvement was a "routine" deployment aimed at developing a "defensive capability".

"We don't plan on invading Venezuela. President Maduro knows this and he need not have any worry about that," he told a press conference.

No reference was made to Venezuela by Britain's Ministry of Defense in its Christmas Eve announcement it was dispatching HMS Trent to its former colony on what it said was a "visit" as part of an "Atlantic Patrol Task deployment.

The move follows a flurry of activity on the diplomatic front including a visit to Guyana by Foreign Office Minister David Rutley who said the existing border settlement treaty of 1899 was inviolate.

"The border issue has been settled for over 120 years. Sovereign borders must be respected wherever they are in the world," he said.

Following the poll, Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali subsequently held talks at which they signed a joint declaration pledging to "not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstances" and form a joint commission to resolve future questions over the contested land.

However, speaking after the Dec. 15 summit, Ali stressed that Guyana had the right to defend itself.

"We made it very clear that Guyana is not the aggressor, Guyana is not seeking war. But Guyana reserves the right to work with all our partners to ensure the defense of our country."

Guyana is trying to bring the issue before the International Court of Justice in The Hague but Venezuela does not recognize the body.