Britain will send a warship to South America in a demonstration of imperial hubris to confront Venezuela in their territorial dispute with Guyana.
The HMS Trent, the British warship will take part in joint war measures with Guyana in a major escalation of the ongoing tensions.
Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana have grown amid a dispute over a mineral-rich border region.
Guyana and Venezuela both claim ownership of the area, Essequibo (a 62,000 square-mile territory), a dispute dating back to the late 19th century, when Guyana, then known as British Guiana, was still a British colony.
A 1966 Geneva agreement nullified a border drawn in 1899 by international arbitrators.
However, Venezuela has reignited its claims after US capitalist interests stake a claim for the resources in tandem with the Guyanese state. The case is being heard by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
HMS Trent is in Barbados over Christmas but will then head to Guyana.
The offshore patrol vessel cannot dock in Georgetown, Guyana’s capital, because it is too shallow.
The acceptance of the British ship by the Guyanese government is also a breach of the Argyle Agreements, which were signed on Dec. 14 and assumed as a roadmap to resolve the territorial dispute over the Essequibo between Venezuela and Guyana.
Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, has said the UK will work with “partners in the region to ensure the territorial integrity of Guyana is upheld and prevent escalation,” in a remarkably clear example of doublespeak.
He discussed the issue with his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, during a trip to Washington earlier this month, likely getting the green light from the US.
The US is mired in several international wars, and is losing on each front. It likely persuaded the UK to take the lead on this conflict to prevent further overextension.