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
      01·
      1 year 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.

      • cygnus@lemmy.caEnglish
        0·
        1 year 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
          01·
          1 year 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.