Request for help came after Venezuelan president announced series of measures to formalize a referendum Sunday evening

Request for help came after Venezuelan president announced series of measures to formalize a referendum Sunday evening

Guyana has appealed for help from the United Nations and the United States as the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, announced a series of measures intended to advance its annexation of two-thirds of the tiny South American nation’s territory.

“I have spoken to the secretary general of the United Nations and several leaders, alerting them of these dangerous developments and the desperate actions of President Maduro,” Irfaan Ali, president of Guyana, said in a television broadcast late on Tuesday, as he informed the nation of 800,000 of Maduro’s latest steps intended to create a new Venezuelan state in Guyana.

  • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    305·
    11 months ago

    Considering how much and often we’ve historically fucked over the vast majority of South America, it’d be nice for once if we actually helped them - particularly since Guyana is the one on the defensive here and they’re literally asking for help against an invasion, and the invading party very much does not have power-parity with the US. It would go a long way towards starting to recover the reputation of the US in our neighboring continent to the south. And we’ve got a LOT of recovering to do.

    • Patapon Enjoyer@lemmy.worldEnglish
      61·
      11 months ago

      US: Yeah we’ll help Guyana. And by help we mean putting a military base or ten in a resource-rich region that hates US presence. You’re welcome, jack. No, this isn’t at all like the Middle East shut up

      • Pringles@lemm.eeEnglish
        11·
        11 months ago

        That would probably improve the infrastructure and economy of that region, so I don’t think they would mind that much. It’s scarcely populated jungle now, so the roads they would put in alone would be helpful.

        • dogslayeggs@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          11 months ago

          It really needs emphasized how sparse the country is. They only have 800,000 people in a country the size of Kansas. Kansas is known as barely populated farmland, and they have 3,000,000 people. They are 83rd in the world by size of country but 166th in the world by population.

    • cygnus@lemmy.caEnglish
      2·
      11 months ago

      I wonder if France would step in instead? It doesn’t neighbour their Guyana, but it’s very close, so it would feel less imperialistic. Although maybe the Monroe Doctrine would preclude that…

      • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        41·
        11 months ago

        I’m talking about trying to move past that dynamic. A country in South America specifically asks for our assistance, and we assist them with their defensive efforts as requested, and then go home when we’re done. No overseas base agreements in exchange - only what was asked. That would demonstrate a real shift in our geopolitical stance.

        I hope something like that happens. But I don’t expect it to.

        • JJROKCZ@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          11 months ago

          There’s no chance the US sheds blood or sends materials without something in exchange. We’ll at least get some favorable trade contracts for their oil/minerals for the next century and establish half a dozen bases on their land Inde the guise of defending their freedom(resources)

          • BrowseMan@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            1·
            11 months ago

            If I’m not mistaken Guyana already have deals with both Chinese and US (Exxon? Can’t remember) oil companies for petrol extraction.

            So the US could just defend their interest.

            But I think leaving it up to Brazil would be much smarter.