According to a January 9th CNN report, satellite images reveal that Venezuela has significantly strengthened its military presence near the border with Guyana, despite Caracas expressing its intention to pursue diplomatic avenues for resolving the longstanding territorial dispute over an oil-rich piece of Guyanese land.
In January, Maxar’s imagery captured an expansion of activities at Venezuela’s Anacoco Island military base, situated along the Cuyuni River, which forms the border with Guyana. Notably, several new sections of rainforest were recently cleared, and additional areas were bulldozed. The images also depict new infrastructure and the presence of armored vehicles on-site.
Although the base’s airstrip remained unchanged, a helicopter was observed there, and access roads had been improved. North of the base, near the Cuyuni River crossing, which provides land access to the military base, a heavy river ferry is visible. Furthermore, extensive portions of rainforest have been cleared in this area, and stockpiles of construction supplies are evident alongside the road, accompanied by three armored vehicles.
In January, Venezuela publicly announced the expansion of its military presence in the region through propaganda videos shared on its army’s social media accounts. These videos showcased activities such as bulldozers clearing land, as well as the movement of light tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and an Mi-17 military transport helicopter.
The Venezuelan Army attributes the base expansion to collaborative efforts between the 11th Armoured Brigade and the 6th Venezuelan Army Corps Engineers. According to their statement, this expansion aims to enhance the response system of the FANB (National Bolivarian Armed Forces) in the critical border area with the state of Guayana Esequiba, safeguarding against any threats to the Republic.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank, was the first to report on Venezuela’s increased operations along the disputed border. While the dispute is currently being arbitrated in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, President Nicolás Maduro seeks to bypass the UN court and negotiate directly with Guyana. Analysts speculate that Maduro’s actions may be driven by domestic reasons or an attempt to pressure Guyana into sharing revenue from recent oil discoveries. Meanwhile, Brazil has deployed additional troops to its border with Guyana, and the US has agreed to bolster Guyana’s defense capabilities with new aircraft, helicopters, military drones, and radar technology12.
