The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) says one of its soldiers was injured on Monday after a patrol escorting civilian vessels came under fire along Guyana’s western border in Region Seven, an area at the centre of a long-running territorial controversy with Venezuela.
In a statement, the GDF said the incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. as a boat patrol was escorting three civilian vessels transporting personnel and cargo from Makapa to Eteringbang. The convoy was in the vicinity of Black Water when it came under gunfire.
The military said its ranks returned fire and successfully maneuvered the convoy out of the area. One soldier sustained two gunshot wounds to the right leg and was immediately given first aid to stabilize his condition. He is being medically evacuated to Georgetown for further treatment.
The GDF said it continues to maintain an active operational presence along the western border and remains committed to protecting its personnel and safeguarding Guyana’s territorial integrity.
Background on border controversy
The incident comes amid heightened sensitivities surrounding the decades-old territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region, which comprises about two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass.
The controversy dates back to the 1899 Arbitral Award, which legally defined the boundary between the two countries and granted the territory to what was then British Guiana. Venezuela later declared the award null and void and has since maintained a claim to the region.
Guyana, which gained independence in 1966, has consistently upheld the validity of the arbitral award and its internationally recognized borders. The dispute was formally brought before the International Court of Justice in 2018 following a referral by the United Nations Secretary-General.
Proceedings are currently ongoing at the court, where Guyana is seeking a final and binding judgment affirming the legality of the 1899 boundary. Venezuela has challenged the court’s jurisdiction but the ICJ has ruled that it has authority to hear the case.
Tensions have escalated periodically, particularly following increased offshore oil discoveries in Guyana’s waters, with Caracas renewing its claim and taking steps that Guyana has described as violations of international law.
Guyanese authorities have repeatedly reaffirmed that the matter must be resolved peacefully through the legal process before the ICJ, while maintaining vigilance along the border.