Guyana Wednesday confirmed that it had deployed additional troops and equipment to its border s after accusing Venezuela of amassing troops along the disputed borders of the two countries.

“We feel that Venezuela is treading a risky course at this point in time rather than seeking a peaceful resolution of the matter”, Granger told reporters.

He said some 200 ground troops have been deployed in an “unusual” manner along with missiles close to the border that the two countries share.

“The situation is getting worse not better, although Venezuela is embroiled in a major controversy with Colombia, we have recently received reports that Venezuela has been making extraordinary military deployment in eastern Venezuela, that is west of Guyana, which seems to be impacting on Guyana’s territorial integrity”, the President announced.

“I call on the people of Venezuela to stay calm because we’re seriously preparing ourselves”, Padrino said in a televised speech at the Fuerte Tiuna military base.

Granger instead wants the global Court of Justice in the Hague to settle the border dispute.

An arbitration panel awarded the territory to Guyana, then still a British colony, in 1899, but more than 60 years later, the USA government provided Venezuela with information indicating that the panel’s decision was the result of favoritism.

Venezuela has renewed its claim to the mineral and forest-rich Essequibo region and all of the Atlantic Sea off the Essequibo Region.

Maduro’s visit comes after the Venezuelan government along with other ALBA member countries provided vital aid to Dominica following a hurricane, which devastated the island nation earlier this month.

The latest round of recriminations followed Exxon Mobil’s announcement May 20 it had made a significant oil discovery in an offshore concession granted by Georgetown.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos agreed Monday to restore diplomatic contacts and work out their differences.