Venezuela announces troop deployment after UK stations warship off Guyana’s coast

Venezuela's president announced Thursday that he ordered 5,600 troops to take part in a "defensive" military exercise following the arrival of a British warship off the coast of Guyana.

I have ordered the activation of a joint action by the entire Bolivarian National Armed Forces on the eastern Caribbean of Venezuela, on the Atlantic facade, a joint action of a defensive nature and in response to the provocation and threat of the United Kingdom against the peace and sovereignty of our country," Nicolas Maduro said at a public event.

Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement rejecting the arrival of the British ship.

"Venezuela urges the Guyanese authorities to take immediate measures for the withdrawal of the ship HMS Trent and refrain from continuing to involve military powers in the territorial controversy," it said.

Guyana's Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said his country has no "plans for offensive action" against Venezuela after its neighbor mobilized troops.

"These are routine measures that have been planned for a long time, They are part of building defensive capacity," Jagdeo said at a press conference.

"We do not plan to invade Venezuela. President Maduro knows that…We have no plans to take offensive action against Venezuela," he added.

Guyana and Venezuela are facing a border dispute over the 160,000-square-kilometer (61,776-square-mile) oil-rich Essequibo region. Earlier this month, the UK reaffirmed its support for Guyana after Venezuela renewed its claim to the border territory.

The two countries agreed earlier this month in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to avoid any use of force and not to escalate tensions in the dispute. Guyana and Venezuela have been engaged in a years-long dispute over their borders that has intensified after ExxonMobil's first oil discovery in the territory eight years ago.

The countries were joined by Caribbean and Latin American government representatives.