Trinidad PM Unfazed by Venezuela’s Severed Energy Ties

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago is unaffected by Venezuela’s abrupt decision to sever energy ties with her country and welcomes continued assistance from the United States. Amid increasing US pressure on Venezuela concerning narco-trafficking and illegal oil bunkering, two noteworthy developments took place. Firstly, the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs granted approval for US military aircraft to transit through Trinidad and Tobago’s airports in the coming weeks, citing logistical reasons. Secondly, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the immediate termination of any energy-related agreements with Trinidad and Tobago, accusing the latter’s government of participating in the ‘theft of Venezuelan oil’. However, PM Persad-Bissessar dismissed these allegations as ‘false propaganda’ and reiterated her country’s support for the US.