GDF rank shot, injured as another border patrol comes under attack in Cuyuni River

A rank of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was injured on Friday during a patrol along the Cuyuni River in Region Seven after coming under fire from the Venezuelan shore, in the latest in a series of incidents along Guyana’s western border.
In a statement, the GDF said the incident occurred at approximately 12:03h while a patrol was escorting civilian commuters in accordance with established operational procedures. The patrol came under hostile fire originating from the Venezuelan side of the river.
The soldiers returned fire in line with operational protocols and continued the escort, ensuring that all civilians reached their destination safely. One rank sustained injuries during the exchange. He was given first aid at the scene and subsequently medically evacuated to Georgetown for further treatment. The Force said he is in a stable condition and that his family has been notified.
The GDF on Friday reiterated that it maintains an active operational presence along the western border and remains committed to protecting its personnel, safeguarding border communities, and defending Guyana’s territorial integrity.
The incident comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions along the border, following a series of attacks on GDF patrols over the past months.
Earlier this month, President Dr Irfaan Ali said the Government had informed international allies and engaged Venezuela diplomatically while strengthening its national security response to repeated incidents in the Cuyuni region.
The president stated that Guyana was responding through a combination of diplomacy, intelligence-sharing, and enhanced military readiness. He said additional security resources were being deployed to strengthen border protection, including the introduction of new assets to support riverine operations.
He also pointed to the expansion of intelligence capacity, noting that information from international partners was being used to assess whether there was any pattern to the incidents. According to him, the border patrol unit was being further developed with closer integration with community policing groups to improve intelligence sharing, monitoring, and real-time information flow.
Ali further outlined that the Government was working to improve infrastructure and operational systems to address existing challenges along the border while reinforcing national security capabilities.

Security alliances
The President also referenced Guyana’s participation in the “Shield of the Americas”, a multinational security and political alliance established in March and involving 18 countries, including Guyana.
He said the initiative is aimed at strengthening intelligence sharing, coordinating joint military efforts, and addressing transnational threats such as smuggling and drug trafficking. According to him, the arrangement supports greater regional integration through joint exercises, enhanced information-sharing platforms, and coordinated security responses.

Incidents along the border
The Cuyuni River area has experienced multiple security incidents involving GDF patrols in recent years.
In 2025, several attacks were reported, including an incident in February in which six soldiers were injured when a GDF patrol boat came under fire. In May, armed individuals reportedly launched multiple attacks on riverine patrols, though no injuries were recorded in those instances.
In August 2025, a Joint Services patrol escorting election officials and ballot boxes also came under fire while operating in the Upper Cuyuni River. The team was not injured and completed its mission.
Earlier this month, another GDF rank was injured after a patrol escorting civilian vessels came under fire in the same general area of Region Seven. The soldier sustained gunshot injuries and was evacuated to Georgetown for treatment.
The Government has consistently maintained that the border controversy with Venezuela must be resolved through legal means at the International Court of Justice case on the Guyana–Venezuela border, rather than through the use of force.
Officials have reiterated that while Guyana respects the Venezuelan people and continues to welcome cooperation and peaceful engagement, it rejects any form of aggression or attempts to resolve the territorial issue outside international legal mechanisms.