YazataDec 1, 2023 07:02 PM (This post was last modified: Dec 1, 2023 07:43 PM by Yazata.)
Can't get enough wars? Here's the possibility of another one!
Venezuela is reported to be moving large military forces east to their border with Guyana. Venezuela claims about 3/4's of Guyana's territory and may be preparing to seize it.
"Venezuela’s Defense Minister Padrino Lopez, says the Venezuelan people are united to “defend Essequibo” and that the nation must “prepare”.
By “defending Essequibo”, he means Venezuela’s invasion of Guyana and annexation of 74% of territory"
In response, Brazil says that its military is reinforcing its presence along the Guyana border.
Guyana has only a token military, so Venezuela could easily defeat them and grab whatever they want to take. But Brazil is much stronger than Venezuela.
So the big questions are whether Venezuela goes ahead and launches an invasion, and if they do what Brazil's response will be.
And we all know that if Marxist Venezuela invades Guyana, there will be tremendous pressure on Guyana's friends the US, Canada and the UK to come to its aid.
The president of Guyana says that the Guyana defense force will seek to cooperate with "foreign partners", and refers to the United States (the policeman of the world, whether it wants to be or not).
It's still unclear what Brazil's intentions are, whether they just want to reinforce their border to prevent war from spilling over, or whether they are planning to intervene if war breaks out. If that happens, it isn't entirely clear which side Brazil would support. Hopefully Guyana.
I'd like to see Brazil handle this so the US doesn't have to. Or maybe Justin Trudeau wants to help a Commonwealth ally.
C CDec 1, 2023 07:28 PM (This post was last modified: Dec 1, 2023 07:36 PM by C C.)
(Dec 1, 2023 07:02 PM)Yazata Wrote: [...] In response, Brazil says that its military is reinforcing its presence along the Guyana border.
Guyana has only a token military, so Venezuela could easily defeat them and grab whatever they want to take. But Brazil is much stronger than Venezuela.
So the big questions are whether Venezuela goes ahead and launches an invasion, and if they do what Brazil's response will be.
And we all know that if Marxist Venezuela invades Guyana, there will be tremendous pressure on Guyana's friends the US, Canada and the UK to come to its aid.
Since Guyana became independent in 1966, I was wondering if that was so long ago that the UK no longer feels an obligation to its emancipated step-child.
Just glad that Brazil is there to care about the situation or play policeman. And this involves an aggressor that is proud to acknowledge being collectivist, social democrat, Marxist, etc instead of obfuscating it.
Bernie Sanders endorsed an editorial in 2011 on his website where he praised Venezuela as where the "American dream is more apt to be realized". Since taken down (that's why it's a good thing that there are opportunistic pundits that complain about everything under the sun -- those squawkings still hang around as non-deleted records of _X_ occurring).
(Dec 1, 2023 07:02 PM)Yazata Wrote: [...] In response, Brazil says that its military is reinforcing its presence along the Guyana border.
Guyana has only a token military, so Venezuela could easily defeat them and grab whatever they want to take. But Brazil is much stronger than Venezuela.
So the big questions are whether Venezuela goes ahead and launches an invasion, and if they do what Brazil's response will be.
And we all know that if Marxist Venezuela invades Guyana, there will be tremendous pressure on Guyana's friends the US, Canada and the UK to come to its aid.
Since Guyana became independent in 1966, I was wondering if that was so long ago that the UK no longer feels an obligation to its emancipated step-child.
Just glad that Brazil is there to care about the situation or play policeman. And this involves an aggressor that is proud to acknowledge being collectivist, social democrat, Marxist, etc instead of obfuscating it.
Bernie Sanders endorsed an editorial in 2011 on his website where he praised Venezuela as where the "American dream is more apt to be realized". Since taken down (that's why it's a good thing that there are opportunistic pundits that complain about everything under the sun -- those squawkings still hang around as non-deleted records of _X_ occurring).
I would suggest an air of caution to current speculation and don't drink the koolaid until it's been thoroughly tested.
Consider Guyana is apart of the Commonwealth, so it does have other countries to ask for support not mentioned here.
YazataDec 6, 2023 03:04 AM (This post was last modified: Dec 6, 2023 08:16 PM by Yazata.)
Venezuela's president/dictator announced today that Essequibo is a territory of Venezuela and his government has issued new official maps showing it as Venezuelan territory.
A Brazilian army convoy was photographed in northern Brazil near the Venezuelan border, apparently headed east in the direction of the Guyana border.
Edit - Some Brazilians on X say that the Brazilian army normally has army units in that area, where training exercises are conducted. They say that the Exercito Brasileiro has indeed sent additional forces to the area, but this doesn't appear to be them.
YazataDec 7, 2023 01:24 AM (This post was last modified: Dec 7, 2023 01:28 AM by Yazata.)
More talk, from Brazilian sources of unknown credibility, that the Brazilian military reinforcement of the Guyana border is small, on the scale of ~300 men. They say that Brazilian military intelligence has noted Venezuelan military movements towards the Guyana border, but think they are probably too small to be an invasion force. So the Brazilians don't want to do anything provocative.
And a Guyana defense force helicopter appears to have crashed in a remote area and activated its emergency radio beacon. There is no indication of hostile military action and weather in that area was bad at the time.
Guyana has given permission to Exxon-Mobil and a number of other companies to explore for oil in Guyana. Today Venezuela gave those companies 90 days to cease operations and clear out.
YazataDec 7, 2023 09:03 PM (This post was last modified: Dec 7, 2023 09:05 PM by Yazata.)
Today the United States Southern Command announced the beginning of "air exercises" in Guyana airspace in conjunction with the Guyana defense force, in order to "strengthen regional cooperation".
A US RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft (Raker 45) has been operating off the Guyana coast, refueled by a KC-135 air tanker (Dune 69). I assume that it is listening to Venezuelan military radio communications.
YazataDec 28, 2023 11:49 PM (This post was last modified: Dec 29, 2023 12:18 AM by Yazata.)
The Venezuelans have announced the start of something called called Joint Action Domingo Antonio Sifontes. It will include a brigade sized army contingent along with pretty much the entire Venezuelan air force and navy.
If this is indeed preparation for the invasion of Guyana, it's hard to see how the little outgunned Guyana Defense Force could possibly resist it.
Venezuelan dictator Maduro is blaming the British. (Well, why not?) It seems that a Royal navy patrol ship HMS Trent is visiting Guyana in a show of support.
Maduro says in response: "We've issued a statement of condemnation, rejecting any threats. Venezuela reserves all constitutional actions under International Law to defend our territorial integrity, waters, Atlantic, and national sovereignty...
That's why I've ordered a joint action of the entire Bolivarian National Military Armed Forces over Eastern Caribbean Venezuela, a defensive…
This joint military action, which I have named 'General Domingo Sifonte Joint Military Action', is our stand to protect our territorial sovereignty."