Guyana being vigilant in ensuring Venezuelan migrants not being used as ‘Trojan horse’ - VP Jagdeo

Guyana being vigilant in ensuring Venezuelan migrants not being used as ‘Trojan horse’ – VP Jagdeo

Dec 11, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Vice President of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, said recently that the Guyana government is taking a cautious approach in monitoring the influx of Venezuelan migrants, stressing the need for vigilance to ensure that they are not being used as Trojan horses by the Government of Venezuela.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

“We have to be careful because there is a possibility that we could be infiltrated by the Venezuelan intelligence apparatus by planting people here,” Jagdeo said on Kaieteur Radio’s ‘Guyana’s Oil & You’. “So we have to be vigilant. Our security forces and our intelligence operations are geared towards finding such people if they exist. And we also have to be careful that the communities don’t become a Trojan horse here.”

This caution comes amid a backdrop of a long-standing territorial controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. Venezuela has pursued Guyana’s territory for many years, with recent actions seen as an aggravation. This is particularly concerning in light of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) provisional measures advising against any action that could alter Guyana’s control over the Essequibo region. Guyana is currently awaiting the ICJ’s judgment on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which is crucial for the settlement of the controversy between the two nations.

However, a deepening crisis in Venezuela has led to millions fleeing the country, with tens of thousands seeking refuge in neighbouring Guyana. Venezuela’s pursuit of Guyana’s territory has complicated the issue, resulting in concerns from Guyanese about the effect of the influx on Guyana’s ability to protect its territory. Some in opposition quarters have even alleged that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) intends to use the migrants and refugees of Guyanese ancestry as a new voting bloc, in the lead-up to 2025 elections.

But Jagdeo assured that the government’s handling of the issue is not political. “In relation to the refugees, our position on that, it’s not a vote issue… The PPP did not tell Maduro to have a bad economic policy in Venezuela, where people would eventually not have food to eat, so that they can flee to Guyana to come and vote for the PPP,” he stated.

The Vice President said the economic migrants are coming, not to vote, but because they believe they can have a better life in Guyana. “Many of them are of Guyanese origin, and our constitution and laws don’t allow anyone, not APNU, not PPP, not any government, to discriminate against those people.”

Jagdeo further explained that there are also undocumented indigenous people, such as the Warraus, who often cross borders due to their nomadic lifestyle. He affirmed that the government is committed to granting fair treatment to all under the law. As Venezuela continues to act with disregard for international law, Guyana’s focus on upholding its constitutional and international obligations, coupled with a keen awareness of potential security threats, remains paramount. The message from Dr. Jagdeo is clear: Guyana, as a law-abiding country, welcomes Venezuelan migrants and refugees, but it will not allow the Venezuelan government to exploit the situation.

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Bharrat Jagdeo, Government, Guyana and Venezuela, migrants, Trojan horses by the Government of Venezuela, Vice President

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