Venezuelan Justice Minister warns Trinidad and Tobago

VENEZUELAN JUSTICE MINISTER, Diosdado Cabello Rondon has issued a warning to Trinidad and Tobago, stating that the country was once part of its territory.

Cabello made the statement during his weekly television programme in the aftermath of the seizure of an oil tanker by US forces near the coast of Venezuela which it claims it had previously sanctioned for transporting illegal oil. Cabello repeated the Venezuelan government’s denouncement of the US’ seizure as an act of theft and piracy and later, while reading regional headlines, halted to deliver a message to Trinidad and Guyana.

He said that both countries were aiming to attack Venezuela, but said that such countries would “dry out”.

“That’s what they’re up to from Trinidad, from Guyana trying to attack Venezuela. Whoever messes with Venezuela dries up, dries out. And that won’t be for three days. That won’t be for three days. Trinidad used to belong to Venezuela, by the way. Just a comment,” he said. Cabello’s comment comes as the Trinidad and Tobago government continues to support the US military build up and lethal boat strikes in the region that have thus

far killed 86. Venezuelan officials including Cabello, President Nicolas Maduro, and Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez have long criticised Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s welcoming of the US’ presence, including former official military visits to the neighbouring country.

As news of the seizure broke yesterday, Persad-Bissessar again expressed support for US actions, referencing the radar installed by the US military in Tobago which she had previously downplayed.

“I clearly said that the new radar system assists with the detection of Venezuelan crude oil sanction-busting activities and traffickers who have been conducting deliveries of narcotics, firearms, ammunition and migrants into our country from Venezuela,” she said. (Trinidad Express Newspapers)