CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan legislators are on Tuesday expected to debate a motion declaring the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar persona non grata as the rift between the two governments over the presence of United States military presence off the coast of the South American country widens.
The motion appears on the official agenda of the Assembly’s ordinary session that also includes the “Commandos Bill for the Integral Defence of Venezuela” designed to strengthen the country’s military and civilian preparedness against “internal and external threats,” which received unanimous approval in its first discussion and reinforces the “joint responsibility of the State and the people” in defending national sovereignty.
If approved, it will be the first time that Venezuela’s National Assembly has formally censured a sitting Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leader.
But Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has dismissed the move saying it is “a useless declaration” insisting, “it has no effect on my life.”
On Monday, President Nicolas Maduro announced the “immediate” suspension of energy agreements with Trinidad and Tobago, a few hours after his Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, said a formal proposal had been submitted to him to suspend the Energy Cooperation Framework Agreement with Port of Spain.
During his weekly television show on Monday night, Maduro accused Trinidad and Tobago of acting as the “aircraft carrier of the U.S. empire” and said that he was left with no choice but to pull out of treaties signed with the country 10 years ago.
Maduro said that Trinidad and Tobago “ran out” of gas before Venezuela had agreed to help it with the deal.
However, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has dismissed Venezuela’s suspension saying Port of Spain will continue to pursue its own energy and economic strategies.
“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,” she added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that the US supports the Trinidad government’s Dragon gas proposal but it would take steps to ensure it will not provide significant benefit to Maduro’s government.
The Dragon gas field is reported to have 119 billion cubic metres (4.2 trillion cubic feet) of gas.
Last month, President Donald Trump ramped up US military presence in the Caribbean Sea ordering an amphibious squadron to the southern Caribbean as part of his effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.
A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser have also been allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission.
The United States military has carried out deadly air strikes in Caribbean waters over the past few weeks against what Washington alleges are Caracas-backed drug traffickers. The Venezuelan government denies the charge, accusing the administration of being a threat to the peace and security of the whole region.
Trinidad and Tobago has come out in full support for the US action, with Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar already indicating that the drug traffickers should be killed “violently”..
According to Tuesday’s agenda, the Venezuelan legislators will debate a draft resolution condemning the Trinidad and Tobago leader, accusing her of making statements that “affect national sovereignty” and “promote stigmas against Venezuelan migration in the Caribbean”.
Caracas said that the motion is also intended to send a “firm and symbolic message” to Port of Spain in response to what Caracas views as Trinidad and Tobago pattern of hostility and alignment with the United States’ growing military presence in the region.
