Ambassador welcomes V'zuelan registration

VENEZUELAN Ambassador to TT Carlos Perez yesterday welcomed the Government's registration process for Venezuelans in TT. In an interview on I95.5 FM, Perez said, "It's a very good initiative from the Government of TT." He said the process will give Venezuelans here an opportunity to regularise their status, get an opportunity to work for a year in TT and be protected by this country's laws.

Perez said Venezuelans who are legally registered through this process, will have another opportunity to apply for residency or citizenship in TT or get a legal work permit. Asked whether there should be a cap on Venezuelan migrants coming to TT, Perez replied, "That answer should come from the Government of TT." He explained that migration is not something any government could control. "At the end of the day, when you migrate it's a personal decision."

Perez said he had not visited any of the registration centres since arriving here on May 31. Since this is an internal process being handled by the Government, Perez said, "We don't want to create any disruption." He said the Venezuelan Embassy is monitoring the process. "We will see. Maybe you will see me around sometime before the process ends." On the Opposition Leader's recognition of Juan Guaido as president, Perez said, "The only thing I can say is there is only President in Venezuela and that is Nicolas Maduro."

He said as the representative of the Venezuelan government, he can sit "without a problem" with anyone in TT. He added he would be open to meet with Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Perez supported TT and Caricom's position of non-intervention and dialogue to resolve the Venezuelan crisis.

He remained optimistic that the Montevideo mechanism, established between Caricom and the governments of Mexico and Uruguay, would ultimately lead to a peaceful resolution of problems in Venezuela. "To me, it's like the light at the end of the tunnel of this process."

Perez also said social media postings in Venezuela show Guaido does not have total support within the opposition. "There are dissenting voices within the opposition." Perez also said police officers and soldiers who used excessive force against citizens during protests have been jailed, pending investigations.

Perez said efforts to remove Maduro from office had to do with taking control Venezuela's natural resources. He explained that only the Venezuelan people will decide whether or not Maduro remains president. Perez said this could happen either in the next presidential election or through a referendum. "We have all the mechanisms in the Venezuelan constitution." He said the US sanctions imposed on Venezuela are making the already serious economic situation more difficult.

While it continues to be an uphill battle, Perez said the Venezuelan government is doing the best it can to ensure that it provides its citizens with food, medicine and other key commodities. He said Venezuela is grateful to the support it continues to receive from its foreign partners.