Western Hemisphere 129
MID#2237
Dispute Number: 2237
Date(s): July 24, 1981 to September 5, 1982
Participants: 101 Venezuela/110 Guyana, 200 United Kingdom
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: By 1981, the Guyanese government was in debt and weak. Venezuela
saw this as the perfect opportunity to pressure Guyana to settle the long-standing
boundary dispute between the countries regarding the Esquibbo River and the min-
eral-rich region surrounding it. In April 1981, Venezuela announced that it would not
be renewing the Port-of-Spain protocol that they had signed with Guyana and Great
Britain. On July 24, Venezuela increased its military presence in both the frontier
and the coastal waters. These military displays recurred throughout the year. In early
1982, when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, the threat of invasion became
a real possibility for Guyana that began to mobilize its defense forces in response.
In May 1982, Guyana lodged several allegations of border violations on the part of
Venezuelan military forces that were denied by Venezuela. Great Britain expressed
their interests on June 29 when it highlighted the fact that it had a “residual and
moral obligation” to assist Guyana in the event that its territory was invaded. The
last actions in this dispute were allegations by Guyana that, on September 3, a Ven-
ezuelan helicopter attempted to land on Guyana’s western border. Two days later, on
September 5, more Venezuelan soldiers attempted to land at Eteringbang, a Guyanese
border post, and then a few hours later armed Venezuelan soldiers attempted to land
on the Cuyuni riverbank. Guyanese military fired warning shots and deterred all of
these attempts.
101 Venezuela/210 Netherlands
MID#1493
Dispute Number: 1493
Date(s): June 1849
Participants: 101 Venezuela/210 Netherlands
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The Netherlands sent a warship to Venezuela in response to seizing Dutch
ships and citizens. The primary issue was the status of three islands off the coast of
Venezuela owned by the Netherlands.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from May 1849. End Date changed from July
1849.
MID#1494
Dispute Number: 1494
Date(s): December 12, 1854 to June 12, 1855