The BBC is reporting that the UK government is sending a warship to Guyana to engage in military exercise. This comes after neighboring Venezuela renewed its claim for a part of Guyanese territory that is rich in oil and minerals.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed HMS Trent would take part in joint exercises after Christmas.
The BBC states that HMS Trent – an offshore patrol vessel – had been deployed to the Caribbean to search for drug smugglers but was re-tasked after Venezuela’s government threatened to annex the Essequibo region of Guyana earlier this month.
HMS Trent left its home port of Gibraltar in early December and is in Bridgetown, Barbados for Christmas. It will then set sail for Guyana.
Guyana was formerly known as British Guiana before it secured its independence in 1966.