Seemingly determined to reaffirm the necessity for good relations with its sprawling border neighbour Guyana, the post-Hugo Chavez government in Caracas is sending its foreign minister Elias Jaua Milano today for bilateral talks with his Guyanese counterpart Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.
The one-day visit is occurring as President Nicolas Maduro continues to pursue arrangements later this month for an opposition-inspired audit of last month’s controversial presidential poll that he won with less than two per cent majority.
Additionally, there remains a persistent chill in Washington-Caracas diplomatic relations despite Maduro’s signal on the occasion of his inauguration for fresh cooperation approaches. Caracas has since appointed lawmaker Calixto Ortega as the new chargé d’affaires at Venezuela’s embassy in Washington, a move welcomed by United States State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell.
However, in contrast to the rapidity of standard diplomatic recognition that overwhelmingly came from Latin American and Caribbean countries – as well as nations in Africa, Asia and Europe, including Britain – President Barack Obama’s administration is yet to officially recognize the presidency of Chavez’s anointed successor.
Prior to the 14-year successive administrations headed by Chavez, Guyana often had to cope with hostile interventions from Venezuela, rooted in a colonial-era claim to a large portion of its 83 000-square-mile territory that includes the mineral-rich Essequibo region.
While in Guyana, foreign minister Milano will participate in the ceremonial inauguration of a rehabilitation centre for homeless people funded by the Venezuelan government at a cost of BDS$4 million.
Named after the late Venezuelan president, the Hugo Chavez Centre For Rehabilitation And Reintegration will, at any one time, care for 180 men and women in separate dormitories and with medical, cooking andrecreational facilities.
Guyana’s foreign minister, who was in Caracas last month for Maduro’s inauguration, said her government was quite appreciative of the mutually satisfactory relations between their countries.
For its part, the Caribbean Community, which continues to maintain the good relations with Venezuela strengthened during the Chavez presidency, may now wish to signal official interest in an early meeting with Maduro’s administration to discuss, as a matter of urgency, proposed new arrangements in the functioning of the Petro-Caribe project that remains vital to beneficiary partner states.
• Rickey Singh is a noted Caribbean journalist.
