Venezuela reopens maritime route to Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuelan authorities have reopened a sea route with TT.

The Trini Flyer vessel received permits from the Venezuelan government to enter its territory and return to TT with passengers.

Since the beginning of 2020, Venezuela has closed its borders due to the covid19 pandemic. The Venezuelan government has been opening air routes with some countries. Trini Flyer is the first maritime company with permission to enter and exit the South American country.

The governor of the state of Sucre, Venezuela, Gilberto Pinto Blanco received the boat in the Port of Guiria on this week with the first 57 passengers.

He told the Venezuelan media the agreement with Trini Flyer "comes to strengthen diplomatic relations."

The boat will travel between both countries every 15 days with departure and arrival from the private port of Chaguaramas to Guiria, Venezuela, with a duration of two hours of travel.

Blanco said they will expand this service with a new ferry-type vessel, with a capacity for 112 passengers, which is currently being built at the Dique Marino shipyard in Sucre state, and is part of the Water Passenger Transport project designed by the Great Mission Transportation Venezuela.

He said this maritime transport service "will enhance the exchange between two sister countries. This new achievement is framed within the integrationist policy and peace diplomacy the President, Nicolás Maduro Moros, has promoted and has as a cardinal line of work of international relations."

Blanco, speaking in English to the Trini Flayer crew, said: "Venezuela has open doors for any brother of good will who wants to visit us. The guarantees are given and the legal security is also given to have them here in our country and strengthen peace and unity."

Passengers must comply with the immigration requirements required by Venezuelan law, including a valid passport and vaccination card or a negative PCR test more than 48 hours before departure. In the case of minors, travel documents for them must be processed through the consulate to protect the child or adolescent, in order to rule out child trafficking.