PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Minister of Foreign and Caribbean Community (Caricom) Affairs Senator Dr Amery Browne on Monday called for a peaceful solution to the latest dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the detention of two Guyanese fishing boats and crew.

A brief statement from Port of Spain said Browne held frank discussions with Ambassador of Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago Carlos Pérez Silva on the matter.

He invited the Venezuelan diplomat to meet given Trinidad and Tobago’s chairmanship of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom from January to June 2021.

“Foreign Minister Browne expressed deep concern on the matter and urged an immediate and peaceful resolution to this unfortunate development,” the government statement said.

The Guyana government said over the weekend that two Guyanese-registered fishing vessels, the Lady Nayera and the Sea Wolf, were operating off the coast of Waini Point, within Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, when a Venezuelan naval vessel intercepted them, on January 21.

The boats’ captains were instructed to chart a course to Port Guiria, Venezuela where the boats and crew have been detained.

Earlier on Monday, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd issued a protest note when he called in Chargé d’Affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy Moses Chavez, firmly condemning the illegal detention of the captains and crews and calling for their immediate release.