Guyana’s government Thursday said it gave permission for the US military to fly two powerful F-18 Super Hornet jets over the capital city to demonstrate the close military and other forms of cooperation between this oil exporting Caribbean Community nation and the US.
The country had had about three hours notice of the exercise through an American embassy announcement but most people appeared to have been surprised by the noisy unprecedented fly over that comes in the midst of simmering tensions between Guyana and Venezuela over a large swath of Guyana’s territory.
A Guyana government statement noted that the “exercise seeks to deepen the ongoing security cooperation between our two countries,” but both sides stayed clear of any reference to moves by neighboring Venezuela to annex the oil and mineral-rich Essequibo region. President Nicolas Maduro recently signed a law annexing the region. The US has made it clear it supports Guyana in the ongoing dispute and had assisted with surveillance flights for Guyana late last year when Venezuela had threatened to invade the country.
The military exercise came just a day after U.S. Marine Corps Major General (Maj. Gen.) Julie Nethercot, U.S. Southern Command Strategy, Policy, and Plans Director, visited Guyana May 6-8 for talks pertaining to “deterring aggression, defeating threats and rapidly responding to crises,” as the Florida base US Southern Command reiterated its unwavering support for Guyana.
Guyana is awaiting a World Court decision om the claim by Venezuela to the region but Venezuela has said that it does not recognize the court and will ignore its decision whenever it is handed down. A string of top American government and military officials have visited Guyana in recent months to show support for the country, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
