Trinidadian PM restates position regarding support for US in war against drugs

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar Friday brushed aside comments made by the Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez warning Port of Spain against any plans of aggression against the “people of Simón Bolívar”.

“Don’t even think about it, Rodriquez said, as Venezuela Thursday announced the deployment of the Independence 200 Plan, which will allow for the participation of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) and the militias on “284 battle fronts” to guarantee “the independence and peace” of that country.

But speaking to reporters outside the Parliament building, a smiling Persad Bissessar said “I would dare to do what I have to do to keep the people of Trinidad and Tobago safe.

“That is my priority. I have said T&T first. That’s my priority,” she added.

Persad Bissessar, who is due to attend the United Nations General Assembly later this month, told reporters “we have no intention of invading Venezuela or stepping on Venezuelan soil. Nothing of this sort is happening.

"With respect to the American presence…they have been here before. This is not the first time. They have been here before and I said I welcome them if that could help us stem the criminality, the narco trafficking, the human trafficking and the pain and suffering that brings to the people here, then yes we welcome them,” she added.

The Persad Bissessar administration has come out publicly in support of the United States sending naval and military troops to waters near Venezuela as part of Washington’s crackdown on narco trafficking.

Last week, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar praised the US military strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel in the southern Caribbean, which the White House said had killed 11 “narco-terrorists” who were part of the Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang.

She said she had “no sympathy for traffickers” and that the US military should “kill them all violently".

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called on the Trinidad and Tobago government to search for the remains of the 11 men even as police in Trinidad are yet to identify the two bodies which washed ashore over the weekend.

Speaking after the announcement of the deployment in Sucre, which is located in eastern Venezuela, the Venezuelan vice president accused the governments of T&T and Guyana of acting as “vassals” of the United States War Department.

She warned Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, “Take it easy. Don’t dare and don’t even think about it. You are lending yourselves to the perverse plans of an aggression against the people of Simón Bolívar, but you are also lending yourselves to destabilising the entire Caribbean and this continent”.

But Prime Minister Persad Bissessar told reporters her government has had no discussions with regards to invading Venezuela. “with respect to T&T going on the soil of Venezuela.

“It’s just fear mongering. A lot of it is fear mongering. There have been no discussions with the US or anyone else. However, I repeat, should Venezuela invade Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago will definitely step forward in defence of our cousins, brothers and sisters in the CARICOM,” she added.

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