By Juan Pablo Spinetto

Bloomberg Opinion (July 29, 2026) – It was a night of remembrance.

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana was celebrating the anniversary of its independence from the UK, and the most solemn moment was approaching: the raising of its flag at midnight, to mark the historic handover on May 26, 1966. The president, foreign dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps stood mute before the massive Golden Arrowhead banner as a military band drummed to a climax. A light rain drifted across Fort Island, in the middle of the Essequibo River, a venue chosen to signal Guyana’s sovereignty over a territory long claimed by Venezuela.