Venezuela’s Military to move closer to Trinidad and Tobago’s borders over criminal activity claims

Trinidad and Tobago: Tension in the Gulf of Paria is rising after Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López declared that the Venezuelan military would be shifting closer to Trinidad and Tobago’s borders to combat alleged criminal acts occurring within the territory close to the Gulf of Paria.

Speaking during a televised address to citizens on Sunday, López named Trinidad and Tobago as a country where a lot of criminal activities occur including human trafficking and smuggling.

He further stated that under the instruction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro the military would soon be moving to the Sucre State- which includes the Paria peninsula, the closest point between the Sucre State and Trinidad’s northern coast being approximately eight miles.

“From Trinidad and Tobago, a lot of fuel smuggling occurs, as well as smuggling of weapons and ammunition, and a lot of human trafficking.”

López stated that 60 units of Venezuelan military will be deployed on the Sucre State territory to occupy the 15 municipalities and conduct reconnaissance to secure the area.

López further drove his point home saying that all criminal activity happens along the axis between Mapuro, the tip of the Paria Peninsula, and Trinidad and Tobago. Which the Venezuelan military will be clearing out any terrorist groups or any drug trafficking organizations that are operating illegally in that territory.

Venezuela  has made the claims following the U.S. crackdown on the drug smuggling in the Caribbean waters with the drugs allegedly coming from Venezuela as Trump has called Venezuela’s president Maduro’s ruling not a government but a drug smuggling syndicate and issued a $50 million reward for Maduro’s arrest.

Furthermore the announcement comes after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago, expressed her government’s support for the U.S. crackdown in the Caribbean waters as it helps to rid the Caribbean of criminal activities and drug trafficking that has greatly been a nail to the country’s foot.

Following Kamla’s support for the U.S., President Maduro stated in a press conference that her support for the U.S. is a threat to Venezuela, like a declaration of war against the country and that he was certain the people of the country were against it.

Claims that Prime Minister Kamla has refused to have declared any war on the country.

Furthermore, Phillip Edward Alexander, of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Housing went on a social media rant and stated that India would ‘nuke’ Venezuela in defense of the Caribbean island as the two countries are already in agreement following Narendra Modi’s visit earlier this year in July.

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuelan Vice President responded stating that Trinidad and Tobago should think twice for its people before planning to attack and the only nuclear bomb dropped in the country is on the heads of its government.

And now, out of the blue Venezuela has begun accusing Trinidad and Tobago of drug smuggling into their country and announced the Venezuelan military would be moving closer to Trinidad and Tobago Gulf of Paria, which is a stretch of water that separates the two countries.

Reportedly, as of Monday September 22,  the Venezuelan military have already begun moving closer to the border, meanwhile a response is yet to be given by Trinidad and Tobago.