A NAVAL stand-off looms in the Caribbean as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered a show of force to meet a British warship headed for the area.

Mr Maduro said on Thursday that 6,000 troops would take part in exercises close to the Guyanese border, where tensions have risen following a Venezuelan referendum asserting sovereignty over the disputed Essequibo region.

Mr Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali agreed on December 14 not to use force to resolve the dispute, but Venezuela says Britain’s despatch of the HMS Trent patrol ship to take part in naval exercises with Guyana breaches the agreement.