President Irfaan Ali has confirmed the arrival of United States military assets to the southern Caribbean Sea, citing a worsening security climate driven by Venezuela’s aggression. However, analysts say the development marks a stunning failure of the Ali administration’s foreign policy, which they argue has pushed Guyana to the brink of regional conflict while offering little reassurance or protection to citizens.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Herstelling yesterday, Ali sought to tie the rising geopolitical tension to the September 1 General and Regional Elections, warning voters of the dire consequences of electing the wrong leaders.
“Today, there are more military apparatus in this region than 72 hours ago… We must be able to navigate this complex environment with leadership… to secure our country, our sovereignty, and our future,” he told supporters.
Yet, many see these remarks not as strength, but as desperation. One political analyst observed, “It’s ironic that Ali boasts of international partnerships, when his poor leadership has brought us to this dangerous point. The Caribbean was once a zone of peace. Now it’s a potential frontline.”
Since 2020, Venezuela’s hostility toward Guyana has escalated significantly—and, under Ali’s leadership, responses have been mostly reactive. In January 2021, Venezuelan naval forces seized two Guyanese fishing boats in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and detained 12 fishermen. Despite the international outrage and diplomatic efforts to secure their release, the incident revealed how ill-prepared Guyana was to protect its citizens and assert its sovereignty.
And the threats haven’t stopped.
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In late 2023, Venezuela began amassing troops near the border.
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In December, it held a controversial referendum claiming the Essequibo region.
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In March 2024, it passed legislation to create a new Venezuelan state in that very territory.
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By March 2025, a Venezuelan military vessel entered Guyana’s oil-rich EEZ, prompting a hurried and dangerous military standoff.
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In February 2025, six Guyanese soldiers were injured in a Cuyuni River ambush, linked to Venezuelan-backed criminal gangs.
These incidents didn’t happen in isolation. They reflect an emboldened regime in Caracas and a timid, inconsistent response from Georgetown. Despite warnings from local and international observers, the PPP/C government failed to take proactive diplomatic or defensive steps.
Rather than reflect on his missteps, Ali used his Herstelling speech to deflect blame and politicise national security. He attacked the opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), invoking the 2020 election dispute, and even took a veiled swipe at We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) candidate Azruddin Mohamed, accusing him of benefitting from criminality — a claim Mohamed has repeatedly denied. “How can they say they oppose criminality when their very existence is built on the wealth of criminality?” Ali asked the crowd.
But to many, the rhetoric rings hollow. A local commentator, responding sharply to the President’s remarks, noted:
“The PPP continues to preach fear instead of fairness, offering threats instead of transparency. They are brazenly deceitful, conscienceless, and corrupt, offering nothing but bluster. Their ‘leadership’ has left Guyana dangerously exposed.”
The critic continued: “They offer cash grants like carrots, not to empower, but to control. And where that fails, they coerce. It’s not governance—it’s manipulation. And it’s clear that under Ali, national unity, transparency, and real security have all been sacrificed for political dominance.”
Even Guyana’s growing international profile, including its seat on the UN Security Council, is seen by some as a distraction from the government’s domestic failures. “What’s the point of international respect,” one analyst asked, “if you can’t protect your people from being kidnapped, shot at, or watched helplessly as foreign powers claim your land?”
As the September 1 elections approach, one analyst says the choice is stark. “Vote the PPP out, or resign ourselves to deeper humiliation, marginalisation, and danger,” the commentator concluded. “This time, if we remain silent, our children will inherit the price of our cowardice.”
In a country once celebrated for its peaceful stance, President Ali’s term has overseen an unprecedented surge in regional instability. With military buildups, border incursions, and provocative rhetoric now the norm, many Guyanese are asking whether the nation can afford another five years of Ali’s leadership.
