There are new warnings from Venezuela's Government to Trinidad and Tobago over this country's support for the deployment of U.S. military assets in the region as part of what the U.S. says is a war on drug cartels.
00:00Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro held a media conference on Monday and, in Spanish, made a direct reference to Trinidad and Tobago.
00:08In an English translation, as reported by the Trinidad Express newspaper, President Maduro claimed Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Besessa, quote,
00:17was threatening that she was going to authorize attacks from Trinidad and Tobago against Venezuela. That is like declaring war against Venezuela, end quote.
00:26That was President Maduro's apparent response to the government of Trinidad and Tobago's support for the deployment of U.S. Navy and other military elements in the region as part of what the U.S. says is its war on drug cartels.
00:40Prime Minister Passat-Besessa had this to say on the matter last month.
00:43I'm very clear we have had no agreement for any military attack. If there are any such plans, we are not part of any of those discussions.
00:52And what you ask me again, if they'll be using any of our bases, not to my knowledge and not to Melissa's knowledge.
00:59There is no such agreement. What I had said, I maintain it. Should Venezuela move against Guyana, it is then that we will offer any space here to protect our caricum neighbor, brother and sister.
01:12The Express was reporting that on Monday, President Maduro asked who is behind this before making reference to the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
01:22The Express is further reporting that President Maduro further said, quote,
01:26So Trinidad and Tobago, they must impose once more relations of respect, simply as that.
01:32They must impose relations of respect. We have defense plans and the armed forces have announced a part of that.
01:39We have defense plans that escalate on different lines and Venezuela can be certain that we will guarantee our sovereignty and preserve peace in our country, end quote.
01:49Last month, Prime Minister Prasad besessed a sort to dispel any concerns about Trinidad and Tobago's relationship with Venezuela.
01:58We will continue relationships with all our neighbors and I welcome again the fight against drug trafficking, human trafficking, violence crime.
02:09So we welcome them. I am not in aggression against Venezuela.
02:12On Sunday, Venezuela's Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, posted on Facebook and Instagram a video excerpt of a speech he delivered on Sunday
02:21with an apparent warning to Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana and a caption that said in English, quote,
02:27It is necessary to note that if an aggression against Venezuela arises from those territories,
02:32we will respond in a proportionate manner in legitimate defense of our sovereignty.
02:38They know well our unbreakable commitment to the defense of international law, human rights, self-determination of peoples and national independence.
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