In a major display of deepening defense cooperation between the United States and Guyana, the U.S. Navy has deployed the iconic Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to participate in joint military drills with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as a core component of the 2026 Southern Seas security initiative. The landmark deployment marks a significant step forward in the two nations’ shared commitment to upholding regional stability, according to official statements from the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown.
The drills are designed to strengthen bilateral military alliances, enhance joint operational capabilities, and build shared capacity to respond to evolving cross-border security threats. One day after U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali toured the carrier anchored off Guyana’s coast, the embassy released Theriot’s remarks via its official Facebook page. Theriot emphasized that the U.S. and Guyana share unwavering dedication to advancing regional security and shared prosperity. “The visit of the USS Nimitz demonstrates our commitment to working hand-in-hand with Guyana and our Caribbean partners to address shared challenges and build a safer, stronger hemisphere for all our citizens,” Theriot said.
President Ali echoed that sentiment in his own separate Facebook post, noting he was deeply honored to join senior military and civilian officials aboard one of the U.S. Navy’s most formidable vessels. “We celebrate partnership, friendship, and our collective goal of ensuring a region built on peace, democracy, and the shared values of the members of the Shield of the Americas,” Ali wrote. He added that a day aboard the carrier offered a striking view of the extraordinary professionalism, discipline, and unwavering dedication of the more than 4,000 service members assigned to the USS Nimitz, saying he holds unlimited respect for every crew member serving on board.
Ali also highlighted a personal point of connection during the tour: he had the opportunity to meet four of the five Guyanese service members who are currently part of the USS Nimitz’s deployed crew. Joining Ali and Theriot on the tour were multiple senior Guyanese government officials, including Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond, Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd, Finance Minister Ashni Singh, Chief-of-Defence Staff Brigadier Omar Khan, National Security Adviser Gerry Gouveia, and several other top civilian and security leaders. Guyanese naval Lieutenant Commander Clint Venture, who previously completed a six-month Embarked International Staff assignment aboard the Nimitz, also joined the official delegation, supporting the planning and execution of the carrier’s engagements with partner nations across the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of operations.
U.S. officials stressed that the bilateral security partnership extends far beyond this round of joint exercises. Under an existing ship-rider agreement between the two nations, Guyanese law enforcement personnel regularly deploy aboard U.S. law enforcement vessels to carry out joint counter-narcotics patrols, targeting drug traffickers that attempt to escape into Guyanese territorial waters. “This arrangement is a testament to our collaborative approach to combating transnational organized crime,” the embassy noted.
After completing exercises in Guyanese waters, the USS Nimitz – which operates a fleet of some of the world’s most advanced military aircraft – sailed onward to neighboring Suriname to conduct a similar series of joint security engagements. The U.S. Embassy emphasized that the carrier’s deployment through the region underscores both American naval excellence and the United States’ unwavering long-term commitment to deepening security cooperation across the Western Hemisphere. Guyana’s status as a founding member of the Shield of the Americas Coalition further aligns the two nations’ shared priorities for advancing collective hemispheric security.