A Guyana-Venezuela border clash erupted at 2:30 PM Sunday on the Cuyuni River when gunfire from the Venezuelan bank hit a Guyanese ballot-escort patrol. The unit returned fire and withdrew the convoy without injuries.
The joint patrol of the Guyana Defence Force and Police was escorting elections staff and materials to remote polling stations in Essequibo near Bamboo. All ballot boxes remained intact and the mission continued.
Authorities said nine Guyana Elections Commission officials were aboard the vessels. Despite the attack, the convoy continued and delivered all remaining ballot boxes to assigned polling stations.
“The patrol immediately returned fire and successfully maneuvered the escort team out of danger. No injuries were sustained by any personnel, and no election materials were damaged or compromised,” a joint statement of the law enforcement agencies said.
The exchange occurred along the upper Cuyuni near Bamboo, a stretch of the disputed, oil-rich Essequibo where both countries have previously reported fire at river craft.
More than 750,000 Guyanese are eligible to vote on Monday, September 1, across 2,790 polling stations, with at least 700 observers expected. Results are not expected until September 4.
Earlier this year, Guyana’s military reported three attacks by Venezuelan armed individuals in civilian clothing along the Cuyuni River a week ahead of then Venezuelan referendum to assert sovereignty over the contested territory.
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