CCSJ, AMMR offer condolences to family of Venezuelan infant killed at sea

The Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) and the Archdiocese’s Ministry for Migrants and Refugees (AMMR) have offered their condolences to the Venezuelan community on the tragic death of a one-year-old Venezuelan boy at sea over the weekend.

The infant’s mother, identified as Darie Elvis Eliagnis Sarabia, was wounded in the shooting on Saturday when the Coast Guard intercepted the boat they and other undocumented migrants were in off Trinidad’s south coast.

"All human life is precious, including the lives of migrants and refugees. Pope Francis reminds us that migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity, and this statement is most adept both globally and in TT," a statement from CCSJ said on Monday.

CCSJ called on citizens, especially the Catholic community, to welcome, protect, promote and integrate the migrant and refugee populations that have come to the shores.

"While we recognise that there is a limit to how many migrants and refugees we can realistically accommodate, we call upon the State to do as Pope Francis has recommended. Recently he said that each country must say how many migrants they can take," the statement said.

The statement also quoted CCSJ’s chair Leela Ramdeen as saying: "We take this opportunity to condemn trafficking in persons which Pope Francis says is 'an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ. It is a crime against humanity.’"

A statement from the Coast Guard said officers fired "warning shots" at the boat in self defence after it rammed into their vessel.

CCSJ and AMMR said they note the Prime Minister’s appeal to Venezuelans to not risk their lives and the lives of others “in illicit and dangerous border crossings.”

Dr Rowley had also offered condolences to the family.

"Pope Francis asks the world to honour human dignity, to build solidarity and to move from an attitude of indifference to a culture of encounter with our brothers and sisters," the statement said.

"We continue to pray for the mother of the infant who was injured during the incident.

“We are comforted with the knowledge that there will be an investigation into this tragic occurrence and look forward to the outcome."

The injured woman was said to be still hospitalised, up to Monday evening, and the other boat occupants in custody.