Kamla: Did the PM meet with criminals?

OPPOSITION LEADER Kamla Persad-Bissessar once again called on government to “come clean” on the real purpose behind the visit from Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and the Prime Minister on March 27.

In a press conference held on Zoom on Friday, Persad-Bissessar presented flight manifests which suggested that president and vice president of PDVSA, accompanied the Venezuelan vice president on the flight to TT.

PDVSA is a Venezuelan oil and gas company under heavy sanction by the US.

She said PDVSA president Asdrubal Jose Chavez Jiminez (Velevisa) and vice president Juan Vincente Santana Medicion were joined by Antonio Perez Suares vice president of commerce and supply and Manuel Antonio Jiminez Herrera, an accountant of the national constituent assembly in Venezuela as well as security personnel.

Persad Bissessar added that Herrera is also responsible for the signing of contracts and execution of works and direct payment orders.

“Did the Minister of National Security grant entry to these people and did the Prime Minister meet with them and what was the nature of this discussion?”

“We have been told nothing except that this meeting was about covid19,” Persad-Bissessar said. “I don’t see what they came to talk about covid. These are people out of the oil and gas company of Venezuela. If this meeting was about covid19 why were high-ranking members of oil and gas present?”

“By allowing them into the country, did TT violate an American treaty which imposed travel restrictions on Venezuela in December 2019?”

“The government is well aware of the sanctions placed on Venezuela based on their abandonment of the Dragon Gas deal. In recent years Venezuela has been widely accused of participating in money laundering and narcotic trafficking. The US has made it clear that any institution or individual who conducts business with PDVSA will be faced with sanctions. What business was the Rowley Government doing with PDVSA which required a face to face meeting?”

She read from a newspaper which suggested that the allegedly illicit oil and gas company managed to maintain business deals by conducting business arrangements through third parties. She asked if any of our companies entered in any such arrangement.

She corrected statements which suggested that her party, the UNC had invited outside countries into TT’s affairs.

“We in the UNC have done no such thing. We have simply asked questions to ascertain if the government has undertaken any action which could breach, disturb or offend the relationships that we share with our allies.”

Persad Bissessar said she received the documents in the mail, and assumed it came from a concerned citizen. She said she received information that the computer records which supported the paperwork had mysteriously disappeared.

“I am asking whether the computer records of this entry by these people were deleted,” She said. “If these documents are true we would have violated international law.”

Since the visit on March 27 questions were raised as to why the meeting was held. Minister of National Security Stuart Young confirmed the meeting and said it focused on the strategy being deployed in both countries to combat covid19.