U.S. President Donald Trump has told the U.S. programme 60 Minutes that he thinks Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro's "days are numbered".
However, the US President doesn't think the U.S. would go to war with Venezuela but he would not confirm or deny land strikes would be part of what he maintains is the U.S. war on drug cartels in the Caribbean.
What does Prime Minister Kamla Persad-BIssessar have to say?
00:00Prime Minister Kamala Prasad-Besessa tells TV6 News there have been what she called failed efforts by some persons and organizations to create chaos and hysteria among the population regarding relations between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago.
00:14This was part of the Prime Minister's response to TV6 News on Monday as he sought a comment from her regarding statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump to CBS News' 60 Minutes about the recent build-up of the U.S. military in the Caribbean, which he maintains as part of his administration's war on drug cartels.
00:32And now the USS Gerald Ford, that is the world's largest aircraft carrier on the way to the Caribbean. Are we going to war against Venezuela?
00:41I doubt it. I don't think so, but they've been treating us very badly, not only on drugs. They've dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country that we didn't want, people from prisons.
00:51On Venezuela in particular, are Maduro's days as president numbered?
00:56I would say yeah. I think so, yeah.
00:59And this issue of potential land strikes in Venezuela, is that true?
01:02I don't tell you that. I mean, I'm not saying it's true or untrue, but I wouldn't be inclined to say that I would do that.
01:09But, because I don't talk to a reporter about whether or not I'm going to strike.
01:13Prime Minister Passat-Bassassar told TV6 News President Trump's comments were clear and that he is committed to the fight against drug trafficking within our region.
01:22The Prime Minister further said that the government she leads will continue to support the U.S. military drug interdiction exercises within the region.
01:29Prime Minister Passat-Bassassar then told TV6 News, quote,
01:33The opposition PNM had recently condemned outright what it called the Prime Minister's disgraceful and unfounded claim last month that the People's National Movement is a party long suspected of being financed by the local drug mafia.
02:01The Prime Minister said on Monday that whoever in Hurwood wants to take baskets from the persons hysterically trying to protect drug traffickers from the U.S. military, they are free to do so and make fools of themselves.
02:13Prime Minister Passat-Bassassar called on the population to stay strong as she said Trinidad and Tobago has suffered tremendously because of drug-fueled crime for 25 years.
02:22The Prime Minister added that there are many drug money-funded businesses who are pumping money into a PR campaign against the American military-led drug interdiction exercises.
02:34And Prime Minister Passat-Bassassar re-emphasized the administration's position as she told TV6 News, quote,
02:39I prefer for drugs and arms traffickers to be killed violently than for you, the law-abiding citizens, to continue being killed violently in your own homes, end quote.
02:49The Prime Minister declared that law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear but those who commit violence against the population will face what she called a most brutal reality.
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