PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – The Trinidad and Tobago government Thursday night said that it takes “very seriously” threats being made by Venezuela to track down any person outside of the South American country involved in attempts to overthrow the Nicolas Maduro government.
The country’s prime minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, speaking at the post-Cabinet news conference on Thursday, told reporters that she is also aware of statements made by Venezuelan Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello, that a Trinidad and Tobago national was involved in “terrorist activities” aimed at destabilising Venezuela earlier this week.
Cabello has since identified the Trinidadian national as “Gis Kendel Jheron,” and repeated accusations made by President Nicolas Maduro that “terrorists”, including Colombians, had used Trinidad and Tobago as a launching pad in the bid to destabilise the Venezuelan government.
Cabello has vowed to pursue anyone attempting to destabilise Venezuela, saying, “There must be justice.
“We are going after the gangs, wherever they are and wherever they are. Together, we will guarantee peace in this country,” he said.
But Prime Minister Persad Bissessar told reporters that there was no evidence to support the comments made by Cabello, adding, “Today I want to make it very clear to the Venezuelan government and officials that they can do whatever they want on Venezuelan territory, but they cannot come here.
“TNT territory is off-limits to them. If Mr Cabello’s comments are a veiled threat to enter TNT territory, they should reconsider any such intention,” Persad Bissessar said, adding “the fact is, as a responsible government, we have to take all threats against any incursion into our territory seriously”.
She said she would be speaking with her Minister of Defence, Wayne Sturge, and the Attorney General, John Jeremie, to seek advice and protection for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard “to use deadly force on any unidentified vessel entering TT waters from Venezuela, smuggling military able-bodied men and women.
“TNT is off limits to them (and) following comments from Maduro and Cabello, we now have to take seriously the threat by that government sending their agents into our country to commit acts that can be adverse to our own welfare.
“We also have to take a look as to how we go forward with Venezuelan migrants here, who are military-aged, able-bodied men and women. We have to take this threat seriously now,” she said, adding that Venezuela has done this before.
“They made similar propaganda comments about Guyana and Colombia whenever they had interior political problems or elections, and then they engage in border skirmishes,” she said, adding, “We will take these threats very seriously”.
Prime Minister Persad Bissessar said that she was also warning drug and human traffickers from Trinidad and Tobago, who are masquerading as fishermen, “if you enter Venezuelan waters to do your illegal acts and you are caught by the authorities, you are on your own.
(Taken from Jamaica Observer)
