By Newsday

Copyright newsday

EVEN AS he questioned who she was being influenced by and criticised her for supporting US military aggression against his nation, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday called for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to renew bilateral relations with his country, but added this must be done with respect.

He however also vowed to continue to strengthen Venezuela’s defences to protect its sovereignty. Maduro spoke at a press conference in Caracas on September 15, hours before the White House announced that US military personnel had bombed a boat in international waters which it claimed was a narco vessel from Venezuela. Three people on board were killed.

Speaking at the press conference aired live on state media, VTV, and on his YouTube page, Maduro suggested Persad-Bissessar had “lost her mind,” even as he called on TT to, “once more impose relations based on respect.”

“She has lost her mind. She is saying she is going to authorise a strike against Venezuela, like declaring war against Venezuela. I know that all the people of TT oppose this because we are neighbouring countries,” Maduro said.

He claimed no government of TT had ever threatened Venezuela with war until, “this lady.”

“I do not know what substance she is on to make such a statement,” Maduro quipped.

“So who is behind this threat? Who is whispering in her ears,” he asked before pointing fingers at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he referred to as the “lord of death and war.” Maduro added that wherever Rubio goes, he causes war and hate.

KAMLA: THERE MUST

BE MUTUAL RESPECT

In response to a query sent by Newsday, following Maduro’s press conference, Persad-Bissessar said via a WhatsApp message that this country had always had good and strong relations with the Venezuelan people, “and will continue to do so.”

She continued: “I am not concerned about their comments, because the US has never requested any access to our territory for any military action against Venezuela. I also have no issue with a respectful relationship with the Venezuelan government but it has to be mutual.

“That can start today with them accepting the repatriation of some of their people. For over two months, they have stalled the repatriation of about 200 criminal migrants (imprisoned in TT).

“I would also tell them to make an effort to counter the drugs, arms and human-trafficking that is occurring across the Gulf of Paria which is fuelling bloody gang violence here. These are good items to start with (in order) to improve our relationship and maintain long term peaceful ties.”

Last week, Persad-Bissessar – also via WhatsApp – revealed her Government’s plan to deport about 200 Venezuelan nationals incarcerated in TT prisons.

In supporting US military action against Venezuelan arms and drugs smugglers as well as human trafficking, after the US bombed a vessel it said was smuggling narcotics to the US, Persad-Bissessar said on September 2: “I have no sympathy for traffickers; the US military should kill them all violently.” Eleven people were killed in that bombing.

Venezuela insists this military exercise in the US in the Caribbean Sea is not about fighting narco-trafficking but is about regime change.

THE ONCE CLOSE TIES WITH MADURO

At the press conference, Maduro spoke of the deep and close cultural, historical and economic ties his country shared that TT for decades. What he did not say was that there was a time, both he and Persad-Bissessar shared a very cordial relationship as leaders of their respective countries.

In 2013, in her first stint as prime minister (2010-2015), Persad-Bissessar welcomed Maduro with open arms for the 34th meeting of Caricom heads of government in Port-of-Spain. The countries met to deepen trade and other economic-related activities.

On Facebook, in an account in the prime minister’s name, several photos can be seen with both Persad-Bissessar and Maduro smiling and chatting during the Caricom summit at the Trinidad Hilton. Maduro gave Persad-Bissessar a gift of a photo of his predecessor the late Hugo Chavez.

Then in 2015, at the Seventh Summit of the Americas in Panama, Persad-Bissessar threw her support behind Venezuela, telling that summit, “Therefore, what I advocate, President Maduro, is that we collectively raise our voices again, and individually as nations in the region that we raise our voices against this executive order, which you reminded me that there was once such an executive order, which was then followed by invasion.”

As then Opposition Leader, even as the then PNM government was trying to get the Dragon gas deal over the finish line, Persad-Bissessar’s stance towards Maduro and his government changed. She instead threw her support behind then Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido who declared himself president after disputed elections in Venezuela.

This anti-Maduro position remained even after Persad-Bissessar returned to power on April 28.

PRAISE FOR BOLIVAR

At the September 15 press conference, to highlight the “aggression against Venezuela,” Maduro praised Simón Bolívar, popularly known as The Liberator, for leading the fight against Spanish rule and securing independence for Venezuela and several other South American nations.

In what could be interpreted as a subtle jab at TT, which gained independence from Britain in 1962, Maduro said Venezuela’s independence came through struggle and sacrifice. He said TT was sold by the Spanish to the British a few years before the Venezuelan independence.

“No one gave us independence as a gift. That was the result of hard work; we conquered freedom,” Maduro said. He described Venezuela as a peaceful but rebellious nation, emphasising its spirit of resistance. He said his country is prepared for an armed struggle, vowing that Venezuela would continue to follow Bolívar’s path, to fight for its sovereignty even to the death.

Over the weekend, Venezuela said that a US Navy ship boarded a Venezuelan tuna boat with nine fishermen while it was sailing in Venezuelan waters.

Foreign Minister Yván Gil said the US destroyer “illegally and aggressively” boarded the vessel with 18 armed personnel. They stayed on board for eight hours, blocking communication and stopping the fishermen from working. The Venezuelan navy later escorted the boat after the US personnel left.

Maduro described this as “outrageous” and as a “shameful act for the honour of the US forces”

“What were they looking for? Tuna? They did not know what they were looking for. This was a military operation. Who gave the orders?” He said a minor incident could have escalated into a major incident.

Maduro praised the behaviour of the Venezuelan fishermen as exemplary, saying they remained calm during the ordeal.

He encouraged fishermen to continue fishing despite the incident

Speaking to his “brothers and sisters in the Caribbean,” including TT and Guyana, as well as Spanish-speaking countries as far north as Mexico, Maduro warned of consequences for potential acts carried out by US forces.

“If in the Caribbean, they send missiles, well, this could lead to a great war in the Caribbean, which has never occurred before and should never occur,” he said.

“So this will be a war that has been waged for regime change, for Venezuelan oil and gas and riches.”

The US has repeatedly accused Maduro of facilitating the drug trade, a claim which Maduro dismissed as a lie. “This is a narrative to justify an escalation,” he said.

He stressed that the US objective is to invade Venezuela and impose colonial rule, and the people of Venezuela will not allow that.