GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC)–Guyana says it has strengthened its border defences following recent political developments in neighbouring Venezuela.

The country’s Prime Minister, retired Brigadier Mark Phillips, said security forces, along with regional authorities, have intensified monitoring along the nation’s western border.

Speaking on the Starting Point podcast, Phillips noted that Guyana Defence Force (GDF) troops are permanently deployed along the country’s borders with Venezuela, Suriname, and Brazil.

However, following the political upheaval on January 3, “immediately, we went into a more heightened state of readiness. In fact, I would argue that the troops…were already in a heightened state of readiness.”

Phillips was making reference to the United States invasion of the South American country, seizing its leader, Nicolas Maduro and his wife and transporting them to New York, where they have since appeared in a Federal Court on drug-related charges.

Washington, which had been denying regime change in Venezuela, has since said it intends to run the country for the foreseeable future.

Guyana and Venezuela have a decades-old border dispute with Caracas claiming the Essequibo region, along the northeastern coast of South America and comprising roughly the western two-thirds of Guyana.

Prime Minister Phillips, addressing the possible “spillover effects,” from the US action in Venezuela, said he travelled to Region One and met with members of the defence board, regional officials, law enforcement, and residents.

He noted that community members were already well informed due to improved internet connectivity in hinterland regions.

Phillip said that while authorities have not observed any unusual activity along the Guyana-Venezuela border, movement across the frontier has remained consistent, which he described as routine activity.

“We will not fall into any false sense of security,” he said, adding that the government “will continue to observe and ensure that any instability on the other side of the border does not spill over into Guyana.”

Phillips said Guyana’s priority remains safeguarding its territorial integrity and ensuring every citizen living in the border region continues to feel secure.

He also addressed regional responses to the situation in Venezuela, noting that while Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states may express differing positions, each country must ultimately act in accordance with its own national interests.

“Whatever pronouncements are made by our president, I totally agree with them because they are balanced and it is in keeping with Guyana’s national interests, ” Phillips said on the podcast.