Venezuela continues to build up military infrastructure and hardware close to the border with Guyana as President Nicolas Maduro and his supporters scale up their threats to annex an oil-rich piece of Guyanese land.

Despite having pledged to tamp down tensions with Guyana, the Venezuelan regime is increasing its military presence at its border with that country, while raising the volume of its saber-rattling against the neighboring nation amid the poor showings at the polls of ruler Nicolás Maduro ahead of July’s presidential election.

Venezuela’s armed forces have moved “substantial quantities” of personnel and equipment near the disputed Essequibo region that’s controlled by Guyana, a Washington-based think tank reports, potentially escalating tensions ahead of presidential elections.

The government of Guyana says it gave permission for two US Navy Boeing F/A-18 fighter jets to pass over the capital Georgetown, amid a border dispute with neighbouring Venezuela over access to valuable oil fields.