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Newsday Reporter
Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez has issued a stern warning to the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana as tension in the southern Caribbean continues to escalate.
Venezuela has accused the US of seeking regime change under the pretence of fighting narco-trafficking and warned TT that it will receive “an answer” if it allows the US to use TT soil to launch an attack on their country,
A fleet of US warships has been camped in the southern Caribbean for the past weeks and on September 2 blew up a pirogue allegedly carrying illegal drugs from Venezuela to Trinidad. All 11 people aboard the vessel were killed.
In a message on his Telegram channel on September 14, Lopez said, “To TT government who has lent themselves for this game, I say, well, if they (US) attack us from their (TT) territory, you will also receive an answer. An answer, and all will be legitimate defence.”
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has expressed full support for the US military’s presence to tackle narco-trafficking, specifically out of Venezuela. She also endorsed the US’ methods, saying drug traffickers deserved to be killed violently.
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has viewed the presence of US warships as an act of aggression and mobilised a militia of 25,000.
Guyana, which is embroiled in a territorial dispute with Venezuela over the rights to the oil-rich Essequibo region, has also supported the US.
Persad-Bissessar said TT would grant the US “unflinching” access to TT territory to defend Guyana if Venezuela ever attacked that country. She maintained that the relationship with Venezuela was cordial.