FISHERMEN in central and south Trinidad are voicing growing fears as Venezuela intensifies its military presence near the north-western coast of Trinidad, amid heightened tensions between the South American country and the US.
Imtiaz Khan, president of the Carli Bay Fishing Association, said his members remain on edge, warning that “this country cannot handle any war.”
He said fishermen in central Trinidad have been extra cautious since the 2019 pirate attack that left seven fishermen from Orange Valley and nearby communities dead.
The victims were Anand Rampersad, Shiva “Arie” Ramdeo, Brandon Kissoon, Jason “Trevor” Baptiste, Justin Kissoon, Hemraj “Alex” Sooknanan and Leslie De Boulet.
To date, the bodies of Baptiste and Justin Kissoon have not been recovered.
“Our everyday fears have not changed. My greatest fear is to relive something like this, especially with all that is happening in international waters,” Khan said.
He reminded that the former government promised to provide interceptor vessels since 2018, but “we are in 2025 and that has not come to fruition.”
Khan added that fishermen continue to operate “at their own risk” as no new security measures have been introduced.
“We feel like sitting ducks. Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears,” he said. He noted that fishermen now limit their time at sea by going out early and returning earlier, but “that has not changed our vulnerability.”
Fishermen in Cedros echoed the concern, noting their proximity to Tucupita, Venezuela.
They said they too were staying close to shore. “Our lives are at risk. People are not going far, just offshore. We cannot work in peace with all that is taking place. We just want all of this tension to stop,” one Cedros fisherman said.
Some fishermen also had harsh words for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, arguing that “TT and Guyana are no match for Venezuela” and accusing Trump of acting only in the interest of the United States.
The latest fears come after Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladmir Padrino López, announced on September 21 the launch of Operation Cumanagoto 200, a military initiative in 15 municipalities of Sucre State.
According to Venezuelan state broadcaster VTV, the operation is aimed at combating drug trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling networks.
El Nacional reported that López described the coastal strip between Macuro, Punta, and Paria, an area close to Trinidad’s north-west coast, as a critical corridor for fuel smuggling, arms trafficking and human trafficking. Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions continue.
On September 6, Maduro wrote to US President Donald Trump requesting a “direct and frank conversation.”
The letter, shared by Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, came just days after a US strike on September 2 killed 11 Venezuelans aboard a vessel US officials claimed was involved in drug trafficking.
Trump, when asked on September 21 if he had received Maduro’s letter, replied, “We’ll see what happens with Venezuela.”
But on September 22, news outlet El Pitazo reported that White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the US administration received a letter from Maduro. Leavitt, however, claimed that the letter, in which Maduro claims to be open to dialogue, contains “many lies.”
The report added that when questioned by a reporter, the spokesperson said: “We have seen the letter; frankly, it contained a list of lies, and the executive branch’s position has not changed. We believe the Maduro regime is illegitimate.”
“The president (Trump) has demonstrated that he is willing to use all means to end drug trafficking from the Venezuelan regime to the United States.”
On September 15, Trump announced that US forces had destroyed another Venezuelan boat allegedly transporting drugs, killing three men.
Newsday
