Guyanese President Irfaan Ali supported the deployment of U.S. troops off the Venezuelan coast, claiming it will help "fight transnational crime and drug-trafficking."
"We will support all that helps eliminate any threat to our security, not only when it comes to our sovereignty," Ali added. "We've repeatedly said that this region must be a zone of peace, and we will do whatever possible to guarantee it continues that way."
Guyana and Venezuela are in a tense standoff over a territorial dispute regarding the Essequibo, which comprises two thirds of the former's land but the latter claims as its own.
Venezuela has brought its claim to the forefront of regional diplomacy since holding a referendum in 2023 (approved by an overwhelming majority) to take over the territory and create a Venezuelan province there. It has also accused the Georgetown government of "defying and provoking" Caracas by granting concessions to exploit the areas natural resources, particularly oil.
Trinidad and Tobago, which is 7 miles from Venezuela, also declared its support for the deployment and said it would allow American forces to use its territory if authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro were to attack Guyana.
"Trinidad and Tobago has always had good relations with the Venezuelan people and that will continue," said Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in a statement in late August.
"However, I want to make it very clear that if the Maduro regime launches any attack against the Guyanese people or invades Guyanese territory and a request is made by the American government for access to Trinidadian territory to defend the people of Guyana, my government will unflinchingly provide them that access."
Maduro, on his end, has spearheaded an initiative to sign up militia members, and he and other top officials have been making threats to the Trump administration and others. On Monday Maduro accused Secretary of State Marco Rubio of wanting to "stain Donald Trump's hands with blood."
"This cannon diplomacy is erratic and wrong and has been imposed on Trump," Maduro claimed during a press conference. "Mr. President, you need to look out because Marco Rubio wants to stain your hands with blood, with South American, Caribbean, Venezuelan blood. They want to take you to a bloodbath and have your name stained for centuries to come as a result of a terrible war against South America and the Caribbean," Maduro added.
Maduro claimed in another passage of the conference that the country is facing "its biggest threat in 100 years" as a result of the deployment. "Eight warships with 1,200 missiles and a nuclear submarine are pointed at Venezuela," he added.
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