Caption: Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen and Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers. AZP News/Prior Beharry
By Alicia Chamely
DESPITE Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar being deemed a “persona non grata” by the Venezuelan government, Minister of Foreign Affairs and CARICOM Sean Sobers says diplomatic relations between the two countries remain intact.
Sobers was responding to questions at Thursday’s post-cabinet press briefing held at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
The minister was asked to whether the diplomatic relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela could still be described as friendly given the proposed termination of the Energy Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) and deeming the Prime Minister as a “persona non grata” by the Venezuelan government in response to the T&T’s government’s support of the US Naval exercises in the Southern Caribbean.
“We have an embassy in Caracas, Venezuela has an embassy in Port of Spain, there is nothing to suggest that there is any otherwise and diplomatic relations continue between both countries,” Sobers answered.
Further questioned as to whether the current tensions and proposed termination of the ECFA had halted plans to proceed with the Dragon Gas deal, Sobers said several discussions were still ongoing and those questions should be directed to the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries.
Tensions between Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the Venezuelan government intensified this week over the docking of the United States Naval vessel the SS Gravely at the Port of Port of Spain.
The USS Gravely arrived on Sunday for a joint defence exercise with the T&T Defence Force (TTDF) and Coast Guard. The vessel left on Thursday morning, just four days later.
The Venezuelan government accused Persad-Bissessar and her government of conspiring with the US to provoke war and destabilize Venezuela.
On Monday Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez announced a proposal to terminate the ECFA, stating T&T’s energy sector would fail without Venezuela’s gas and cooperation.
In response, Persad-Bissessar said, “Our future does not depend on Venezuela and never has. We have our plans and projects to grow our economy both within the energy and non-energy sectors.”
The Venezuelan National Assembly on Tuesday approved a declaration to deem Persad-Bissessar “persona non grata,” citing her alleged role in a “criminal conspiracy” with the US military to attack Venezuela.
Persad-Bissessar would respond by stating the declaration did not affect her or her government.
She reaffirmed her support of the US’s military exercise and their campaign against the Tren de Aragua cartel.
