Padarath doubles down on Venezuela comments

MINISTER in the Office of the Prime Minister Barry Padarath holding firm on comments he made regarding Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's position on allegations from the Venezuelan government about a group of terrorists entering its territory via Trinidad and Tobago.

He took the position in response to comments made by Prof Andy Knight that his comments were not helpful.

Knight is a distinguished professor of international relations, University of Alberta, Edmonton Canada and a former director of the Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies.

At a post-cabinet news conference at the Red House on June 5, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said government had no evidence to substantiate the claim by the Venezuelan government that terrorists attempted to enter Venezuela via TT.

She also warned that any illegal incursion by any unidentified vessel into TT waters would be met with deadly force by local security forces.

At a function at his Couva South constituency office on June 8, Padarath praised Persad-Bissessar's actions.

“The Prime Minister has indicated, through her words and her actions, that she will not be bullied. She will not be silenced."

On June 9, Knight said, "The comments by Barry Padarath only serves to throw more fuel on to a fire."

Knight spoke about good relations between Persad-Bissessar and Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro during her first tenure as prime minister from May 24, 2010-September 7, 2015.

During that period, Maduro visited TT in 2013 and 2015. On the latter visit, Persad-Bissessar and Maduro signed bilateral energy agreements. One of those agreements was for the exploitation and development of hydrocarbons in the Manakin/Cocuina field which extended across the maritime border between TT and Venezuela."

Last July, the then PNM government secured a 20-year licence from Venezuela for bpTT to exploit the Cocunia field on the Venezuela side of the unified one trillion cubic feet Cocuina/Manakin field of which bpTT already has an operatorship of the Manakin part lying in TT water.

On April 8, then prime minister Stuart Young announced the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had revoked licences issued for the Dragon and Manakin-Cocuina fields in Venezuela.

On May 3, Persad-Bissessar said TT would not pursue the Dragon project but explore initiatives in Grenada, Guyana and Suriname.

Padarath: Knight in 'ivory tower'

In a WhatsApp comment on June 10, Padarath said, "Mr Knight may want to come out of the ivory tower and live in the real world of 2025."

In the current geopolitical environment, he continued, things are very different from what they were in 2013.

Padarath made reference to celebrations in Caracas in 2016 when the Dragon gas deal was signed between then prime minister Dr Keith Rowley and Maduro.

"Instead of dancing in conga lines the Prime Minister has articulated very clearly how she views any threat to our nation's sovereignty and our alignment with democratic principles."

He repeated Persad-Bissessar must be applauded for her bold and courageous stand in response to claims from the Venezuelan government.

"For ten years the former PNM administration cosied up to the Maduro regime with no tangible results at the expense of citizens both here in TT and in Venezuela."

Padarath said, "With the current immigration and economic crisis across the waters, the Prime Minister has set boundaries as to what we will not tolerate."

He added,"Therefore, while our relationship remains peaceful we are not sitting down and putting our fingers on our lips."

On June 6, the Venezuelan government described Persad-Bissessar's response to its concerns as "irate and unjustified."

The Venezuelan government said, "The appropriate thing to do in the face of this serious situation is to offer co-operation and willingness to clarify the facts."

It added that Persad-Bissessar's "virulent and high sounding attitude raises serious suspicions of complicity with this incursion, and compromises the good relations that exist between our countries in fundamental areas."

Venezuela advised TT authorities "not to engage in geopolitical games that are alien to the interests of our peoples."

On June 9, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers met with Venezuelan Ambassador to TT Alvaro Sanchez Cordero and held discussions at the ministry's headquarters at Tower C of the Port of Spain International Waterfront Centre.

A statement issued by the ministry on that day said, "Arising out of the discussions, it was agreed that in the spirit of constructive dialogue, open diplomatic channels would be maintained with a view to ensuring that the exchange of information is fair, transparent and consistent."

Meighoo: PM being insulted

In a Facebook post on June 9, UNC PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo asked why a daily newspaper was printing and legitimising Venezuela's interior/justice/peace minister Diosdado Cabello Rondon's "nasty insults to our Prime Minister."

In a newspaper report on June 10, Cabello Rondon said, "That woman's (Persad-Bissessar) statements are crazy because we are not entering Trinidad, nor are our boats entering Trinidad.

He added, "I don't know what lethal forces they have, but it's crazy, a crazy statement."

Cabello Rondon said, "We're not saying the government of Trinidad is behind it. We're saying weapons were seen coming from there. Logically, if that's the case, we have a right to question what's happening."

On January 10, the US State Department offered a $25 million reward for information leading to Cabello's arrest and conviction.

In March 2020, it said Cabello Rondón was charged in a Southern District of New York federal indictment with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and associated firearms charges in violation of Title 21, US Code, Sections 960a and 963, and Title 18 US Code, Sections 924 and 2.