US Senators unveil bill to boost military alliance with Guyana, counter Venezuela’s aggression

In a move to reinforce United States (US)-Guyana relations and deter any threats from Venezuela, US Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo) has introduced new legislation aimed at strengthening military and security cooperation with Guyana. The bill, co-sponsored by Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz), comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension over the Essequibo region, which the Venezuelan regime continues to claim despite longstanding international recognition of Guyana’s sovereignty.
“As Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro continues to threaten Guyana, the United States must work with Guyana to deter such aggression,” said Bennet. “This bill will force the Pentagon to evaluate current cooperation and determine where improvements can be made.”
Key features of the Bill include a Pentagon review, which will require the Secretary of Defence to submit a comprehensive report to Congress assessing the current state of US-Guyana security cooperation. Additionally, the report will include recommendations on whether additional military assistance or deterrent strategies are necessary to prevent Venezuelan military action as well as the initiative reinforces Guyana’s strategic role in regional security, democracy, and global energy supply. Both the Biden and Trump administrations had previously committed to supporting Guyana’s sovereignty and warned Venezuela of severe consequences if military aggression occurred.
Back in December 2023, Presidents Irfaan Ali of Guyana and Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela signed the Argyle Declaration in Argyle, St Vincent and the Grenadines. This agreement was facilitated by regional leaders, including Prime Ministers (PM) Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, with support from CARICOM, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Brazil, and the United Nations (UN).
Key provisions of the Argyle Declaration include a commitment to non-aggression, the peaceful resolution framework and the establishment of a joint commission comprising Foreign Ministers and technical experts from both countries was to be formed to address mutually agreed matters.
Despite the provisions, Venezuela continues to use aggressive tactics against Guyana, including plans to unlawfully elect a Governor and legislative council of “Guayana Esequiba State”, which is the name the Spanish-speaking nation has given to Guyana’s Essequibo region.
In January 2025, the Nicolás Maduro regime had announced plans to hold elections in the Essequibo region, which is two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass, on May 25, 2025 – something which Guyana wrote the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in March to have blocked. The World Court, which is hearing the case to settle the decades-long border controversy between the two South American neighbours, subsequently issued an order that Venezuela must refrain from conducting or preparing to conduct elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region.
It also reaffirmed the provisional measures issued by the Court on December 1, 2023, which states that “…Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over that area; and (2) Both Parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.”