00:00The diplomatic tension between Port of Spain and Caracas has escalated following the release of an official communique from the
00:08Venezuelan government dated February 25, 2026.
00:12In the statement, Caracas says it expresses its firm rejection of the statements made by the Prime Minister of the
00:18Republic of Trinidad and Tobago within the framework of the 50th meeting of the heads of state and government of
00:25CARICOM.
00:25The communique argues that the position articulated by the Prime Minister contradicts the integrationist spirit of the region and the
00:34founding principles of CARICOM itself, established 53 years ago precisely in the territory of Trinidad and Tobago.
00:42Venezuelan notes that during the opening of the summit, regional leaders reaffirmed their commitment to good neighborliness, cooperation and the
00:50values of unity that have governed this organization throughout its history.
00:53The statement suggests that the Prime Minister's remarks stand in contrast to that collective position.
00:59In one of the most pointed sections of the communique, the Venezuelan government describes what it calls the Prime Minister's
01:06rhetorical obsession with Venezuela,
01:08asserting that it does not represent a national consensus in her country where the positions of various sectors that distance
01:17themselves from her discourse are notorious and public.
01:20Caracas further warns that such statements could have tangible diplomatic and economic consequences.
01:27The communique states that the Prime Minister's approach not only compromises bilateral relations but also harms Trinidad and Tobago's own
01:36economic interests
01:37by hindering the development of joint strategic projects of mutual benefit to both states.
01:43While no specific projects were named, the reference is widely interpreted as alluding to ongoing and potential cross-border energy
01:51and economic cooperation initiatives.
01:54Despite the criticism, the communique attempts to strike a conciliatory note toward the wider region.
02:00It emphasized that Venezuela and CARICOM have cultivated ties of friendship and strategic cooperation
02:07that have deepened with the progress of the Bolivarian revolution, adding that this sentiment is shared with the peoples of
02:14the Caribbean
02:15and with the vast majority of the governments of the region.
02:19The government also reaffirmed what it calls the principles of Bolivarian diplomacy of peace,
02:25reiterating its willingness to deepen cooperation with the Caribbean nations,
02:30always in strict adherence to international law and the consolidation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of
02:37peace.
02:38Venezuela is not a member nor an associate member of the 15-state CARICOM bloc.
02:44The communique closes without announcing any retaliatory measures,
02:48but the language signals clear diplomatic dissatisfaction following the high-level regional meeting.
02:55The development now places regional diplomacy under closer scrutiny,
02:59particularly as CARICOM marks a historic milestone year
03:03and seeks to reinforce unity amid complex geopolitical and economic challenges.
03:09Urvishita Wari Rupnarein, TV6 News.
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