US TARIFF ON VENEZUELA GAS, WHAT ABOUT DRAGON?

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The U.S President made an announcement today about a new U.S. tariff to be placed on oil and natural gas from Venezuela that could now pose a new hurdle for the deal for the supply of gas from Venezuela to this country.  This, as the Prime Minister is to hold bi-lateral talks with U.S. Secretary of State in Jamaica later this week.  Juhel Browne reports.

Transcript

00:00On Monday, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce provided an update on the U.S.

00:06Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to the Caribbean.

00:09U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname March 26-27

00:18to advance President Trump's foreign policy priorities in the Caribbean.

00:23While in Jamaica, the Secretary will hold bilateral engagements with heads of state

00:27from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti.

00:31On Saturday, the Office of the Prime Minister announced that the talks scheduled between

00:34Secretary Rubio and Prime Minister Stuart Young are expected to focus on U.S. foreign

00:39policy and the effect on Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region.

00:44But also on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump, via his Truth Social platform, announced

00:50that the United States of America will be putting what is known as a secondary tariff

00:55on the country of Venezuela for numerous reasons.

00:58President Trump said they include what he identified as criminals deceitfully sent to

01:03the U.S. by Venezuela, including, quote, Tren de Arroga, which has been given the designation

01:10of a foreign terrorist organization.

01:12We are in the process of returning them to Venezuela, end quote.

01:16President Trump then declared, quote, any country that purchases oil and or gas from

01:21Venezuela will be forced to pay a tariff of 25 percent to the United States on any

01:26trade they do with our country, end quote.

01:30The tariff is to take effect on April 2nd, 2025, which President Trump called Liberation

01:35Day in America.

01:37Last week, TV6 News saw the response from Prime Minister Young on what the U.S. media

01:41was then reporting to have been pending new sanctions on Venezuela by the Trump administration.

01:48And the impact this could have on something that this administration has been pursuing,

01:53or certainly the one led by Dr. Raul Llanoba, you, the issue of the supply of natural gas

01:58from Venezuela.

01:59June, I have stood at this very platform the last time I stood here at the post cabinet

02:06and I assured Trinidad and Tobago we will continue working.

02:08I would personally continue working, fighting is the language I use, for Trinidad and Tobago.

02:15That has continued.

02:17Progress has been made on a deal for the supply of natural gas from Venezuela's Dragonfield

02:21to Trinidad and Tobago following the lifting of certain sanctions by the U.S. government

02:25while Joe Biden was the U.S. president and while Dr. Keith Rowley was the Prime Minister

02:30of Trinidad and Tobago.

02:32As the Minister of Energy, Prime Minister Young played a key role, which included negotiations

02:37with the government of Venezuela led by President Nicolas Maduro.

02:41Very, very shortly, I will be able to provide some additional information to Trinidad and

02:47Tobago with respect to those lines.

02:50I made a call just before coming down here and I think it would be a little premature

02:56for me to say anything at this stage.

02:58But we continue to do work, things are very, very fluid.

03:01TV6 News did not get a response to the questions we sent to Prime Minister Young on Monday

03:07on the matter.

03:08Jule Brown, TV6 News.

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