American lobbyists warn US House Foreign Relations Committee on Guyana-Venezuela border tensions – Demerara Waves News News- Guyana

The American company, hired by Guyana to reach out to US decision makers, has begun laying the foundation to seek support from the House Foreign Relations Committee against Venezuela in the wake of tensions on the border.

The CORMAC Group lobby comes in the face of recent threats and invasions to Guyana by Venezuela’s Lynges and the interception of two Guyanese fishing boats nearly a week ago.

In a note dated January 22, 2021 to several parliamentary policy experts, Jose R. Cardenas of the CORMAC Group indirectly informed them of the threat that Venezuela poses to Guyana. “I wanted to share this update on the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute. Obviously, we all know that keeping an international event in the playbook of every dictatorship is under siege. But given the tensions in Venezuela it makes it more dangerous, ”said Mr Cardenas, a former interim assistant administrator for Latin America at the US International Development Agency.

That email was sent on January 22 to several people including Professional Staff Member Victor Cervino at the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Viviana Bovo., Senior Advisor on Western Hemisphere Affairs;
Paul Bonicelli, Senior Senate Policy Adviser to Republican Senator Rick Scott;
Christine Diaz, Senior Policy Advisor; Yoder Brandon Senior Professional Staff Member at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Nuri Gambarrotti, Legislative and Policy Analyst at the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Brockwehl Alexander Staff Director, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee at the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs; Legislative Assistant Gisselee Reynolds and Director of Constituent Services at the US House of Representatives; Carlos Monje Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff, and Eric Jacobstein, senior policy adviser to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

While preparing Republican Senator Marco Rubio to ask a question to seek a public view on the Guyana-Venezuela row of the Democratic administration led by Joe Biden, Mr. Cardenas advised Mr. Rubio’s Senior Adviser for Western Hemisphere Affairs Viviana Bovo how to contextualize and frame his question.

“The Trump administration has stood by Guyana in the face of Maduro’s threats and believes the territorial dispute should be resolved at the International Court of Justice, which Maduro has rejected.

Will the Biden administration continue to support Guyana in this matter — including its right to develop its energy resources without fear — and Maduro’s warning that pressing Guyana will have regional consequences if it continues? ”, Mr Cardenas told Ms Bovo.

The Guyana government in December hired the CORMAC Group for six months initially at a cost of U $ 25,000 per month to “inform key members of the US Congress, especially those with an interest or responsibility for Western Hemisphere, trade and trade economic development, about the importance of increasing US cooperation with the Guyanese government, thereby contributing to democracy, stability and prosperity in the region. ”

The company will work closely with the Guyana embassy in Washington DC and other officials who may designate from time to time.

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