Caption: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the recruitment drive at the National Cycling Centre

By Prior Beharry

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Thursday rejected rumors of an impending war involving Venezuela and denied receiving any reports of Russian missiles landing there, calling the claims “fearmongering” and urging the public to remain calm.

Speaking to reporters at the National Cycling Centre in Couva, where she visited a national recruitment exercise, Persad-Bissessar said her government had no information to support social media chatter about conflict in the region.

“I think there are some people who are fearmongering,” she said.

“I assure you to be calm; if and when there is a war, we will let you know, we will keep you informed of what is happening. I have no information of a war, no information on missiles landing in Venezuela. There are some just determined with fearmongering. My name is Kamla, be calm.”

The Prime Minister also declined to respond directly to criticism from Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez, who this week questioned the legality and viability of Trinidad and Tobago’s pursuit of the Dragon gas project under a US Treasury licence.

“I have no comments, I have no official communication from Ms Delcy or from the Venezuelan government, and I will not comment on something we have no official communication about,” Persad-Bissessar said. “I will not engage in a tit-for-tat. I am doing the best I can. I was elected by the electorate, we are all doing the best we can to uplift Trinidad and Tobago.” She added that the country was “going uphill” and reiterated she had no information about a US–Venezuela war.

Rodríguez, speaking at a Venezuelan economic forum on Wednesday, cast doubt on the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licence allowing Trinidad and Tobago to negotiate with Venezuela over the Dragon field. She argued that any gas exported from Venezuela must be paid for and accused Persad-Bissessar of misleading local business interests.

“They are selling them the fake idea that they are going to take the gas from Venezuela to give to Trinidad,” Rodríguez said. “Do you believe that is possible? The gas of Venezuela, you must pay for; any molecule that is exported … you must pay. That is international cooperation, that is trade relations. Everything else goes against nature, and it does not exist and you are being deceived.”

Details of the recently granted OFAC licence have not been made public, though previous licences limited cash payments to the Venezuelan government. Less than a month ago, when the Dragon deal was declared revived with US support, Persad-Bissessar described the development as a “big win” and said she was prepared to travel to Caracas to advance negotiations.

Relations between Port of Spain and Caracas have grown more strained in recent months amid increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean and a series of U.S. strikes on vessels Washington has described as drug-trafficking boats. At least seven such operations have been reported, including one in September that left 11 people dead.

Persad-Bissessar previously offered the United States unfettered access to Trinidad and Tobago’s territory in the event of a Venezuelan attack on Guyana. After the September strike, she praised the U.S. operation and said drug traffickers should be dealt with violently. Following reports that two Trinidadian fishermen may have been among those killed in a later strike, Rodríguez labeled Persad-Bissessar’s remarks a “self-fulfilling prophecy” and warned Trinidad and Tobago against allowing its territory to be used for any assault on Venezuela.

Rodríguez also rebuked comments by Minister in the Ministry of Housing Phillip Edward Alexander suggesting India would “nuke” Venezuela in defense of Trinidad and Tobago, saying a “nuclear bomb” had gone off in the government’s brain. “Trinidad and Tobago should think of its people before they intend to attack Venezuela and renounce their vassalage to the U.S. government that intends to steal our immense energy resources,” she wrote, adding that Venezuela would continue to assert its freedom and self-determination through a “diplomacy of peace.”

Rodríguez has previously engaged with former prime minister Stuart Young as a liaison on potential energy negotiations between the two countries.

As speculation swirls, Persad-Bissessar’s message on Friday was one of reassurance. “Be calm,” she said. “If and when there is a war, we will let you know.”