US Ambassador rejects claims of unequal partnership with Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – United States Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot has dismissed suggestions that Washington dominates its relationship with Georgetown, insisting that the partnership is based on mutual respect and shared benefits. “It is a partnership – 50/50 absolutely. There is no dominance. It is very, very much a partnership,” Theriot told reporters. “We feel like we benefit from our relationship with Guyana, hopefully, as much as they benefit from us. It’s a true partnership in every sense of the word,” she added. Her comments follow the signing this week of a Joint Declaration for an Enhanced Defence Partnership between the two countries, aimed at strengthening military cooperation and Guyana’s defence capabilities. Theriot, who said she assisted in drafting the agreement, described security cooperation as a critical component of bilateral relations. The declaration provides for sustained US defence expertise, multi-domain training and joint military exercises with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as part of efforts to modernise the country’s defence infrastructure. The ambassador’s remarks also follow a recent CNN interview in which President Irfaan Ali faced questions about the balance of the Guyana-US relationship. Ali defended the partnership, saying it was rooted in shared values and priorities, while pointing to the involvement of several international energy companies, including ExxonMobil, Chevron and China’s CNOOC, in Guyana’s oil and gas sector. He said the country’s energy investments were diversified and not limited to American interests. In a separate statement, Ali described the defence declaration as another milestone in Guyana’s longstanding relationship with Washington. He said the agreement was critical to safeguarding Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and reflected the importance both countries attached to security in Guyana and the wider Western Hemisphere.