PM, US deputy secretary reaffirm strong ties

THE US commended Trinidad and Tobago as a strong partner, the US’ Department of State principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Piggott said in a release following a discussion between Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau.

A release posted to the US Department of State website said Landau spoke with Persad-Bissessar to reaffirm the strength of the US-TT partnership.

It added that the deputy secretary commended this country as a strong US partner in the Caribbean.

“He acknowledged Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar’s public support for US military operations in the south Caribbean Sea and both our governments’ commitment to curbing illegal narcotics and firearms trafficking,” it said.

This comes amid rising tensions between Venezuela and the US.

On September 3, Persad-Bissessar praised a US strike killing 11 people on a boat suspected of carrying illegal drugs. She was quoted as saying all traffickers should be killed violently.

The US has deployed seven naval vessels, carrying more than 4,500 marines and other officers, off the Venezuelan coast as part of a counter-narcotics mission.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has mobilised a militia in response. On September 8 it was reported that Maduro deployed 25,000 troops along the Caribbean coast and border with Colombia given the rising tensions.

A September 8 Al Jazeera article quoted Maduro as calling on the US to abandon its plan of “violent regime change” in Venezuela and Latin America.

It quoted Maduro as saying the US should respect sovereignty and the right to peace and independence.

In the article, Maduro said he respected US President Donald Trump and said their differences should not lead to military conflict.

Maduro said Venezuela has always been willing to discuss the issues.

The press release from the US State Department on Monday said Landau also emphasised the importance of establishing a UN Support Office for Haiti and that he and Persad-Bissessar underscored the need for further support to address insecurity and violence in Haiti.