UNC leader describes death of Venezuelan baby as 'murder'

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has equated the killing of a Venezuelan baby by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard while aboard an illegal migrant vessel in Trinidad waters last Saturday as murder.

She said the expression of sadness by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds is not good enough, and called for his resignation.

She said this incident in which the nine-month child shot and killed while being cradled in his mother’s arm has sparked international attention. Already the Government and Opposition in Venezuela have called for an investigation into the matter which has attracted the attention of human rights groups.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has asked the TT Government to carry out an exhaustive investigation to clarify the facts surrounding this fatal incident in which the life of a Venezuelan child was lost.

Opposition Leader Juan Guaido, who was once recognised by Persad-Bissessar as that country’s de facto President, was scathing in his comments.

In his official Twitter account, Guaido said: “The death of a Venezuelan child, who along with his mother fled from the dictatorship, hurts our soul as a country. The shots fired by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard have no justification, they killed him (...) we ask for justice."

Persad-Bissessar said she was awaiting an explanation which could justify the use of reasonable force by the Coast Guard in the circumstance.

She said she was baffled by the response when there were women and children on board.

“Oh God what a heart rendering, heart breaking thing to see our coast guard, firing on a migrant vessel, murdering a baby.

“We are making international news TT. We are making international news because of that.”

From a United National Congress (UNC) platform at a victory celebration for the newly elected councillor for Debe South on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar questioned why Coast Guard took that approach to fire when there was no indication there were armed migrants in the vessel who posed a threat.

“I cannot see that a migrant vessel with people there – how you could open fire and you see women and children. Did they have weapons? Did anyone raise a weapon against you? Why would you shoot?” she asked.

She tore apart the reason offered by the Coast Guard that they were forced to open fire because the migrant vessel wanted to ‘ram’ the Coast Guard vessel.

“You say they were coming to ram you, you could have taken evasive action. Why did you have to shoot? Was that what you call reasonable force? A young baby is killed by the Coast Guard. Ethelbert resign now.”

In the Senate on Tuesday, Hinds responded to a question posed by UNC Senator Mark relative to an investigation into the death of the child, Yaelvis Santoyo Sarabia, off the waters of TT.

Hinds used the opportunity, “to express very sincere condolences to the parents of this child. And of course, to the Government and the people of Venezuela as it has since been determined that all the occupants on that vessel that approached TT without authority or notice to this day, were in fact Venezuelans.

“From the information that is available to me, the Coast Guard and, most certainly, the TTPS have embarked upon investigations arising out of this unfortunate incident.”

The Venezuelan mother of two Darielvis Sarabia, was reportedly among 20 illegal immigrants in a pirogue who left Tucupita, Venezuela, bound for Trinidad on Saturday night, when the vessel was intercepted. The others were detained.

Sarabia was hoping to be reunited with her husband, who has been living in TT for close to a year.

With the political crisis causing hardship in Venezuela, TT has become a refuge for its nationals who have been making the dangerous passage in the dead of night, in less than safe vessels, in search of a better life.

In the past, the Opposition has complained about the porous borders that has been a bone of contention for this government.

Persad-Bissessar said prior to the 2020 elections, the UNC had detailed plans to create three ministries to handle crime – a Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence and re-introduce the Ministry of Justice.

The Ministry of Defence would have dealt with the protection of the borders, while the Ministry of Justice would have focused on delays and issues plaguing the justice system.

The Home Affairs Ministry, would have dealt with internal law enforcement, to ensure deterrents are provided to take action before crime is committed.