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RUBIO CALLS ON PM YOUNG TO SUPPORT MOVES AGAINST VENEZUELA

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Stuart Young to support moves against Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro’s administration.

The call came during a bilateral meeting in Kingston, Jamaica on Wednesday.

Following the talks, the US state department issued a limited statement, saying Rubio and Young discussed the Trump administration’s decision to name the dangerous Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation.

Rubio encouraged Prime Minister Young to join the United States and other Caribbean democracies in limiting what he described as malign influence in the region.

The statement said nothing about the Dragon gas field, located in Venezuelan waters, which Trinidad and Tobago has been hoping to exploit with the backing of the US.

The Trump regime has taken a hard stance against Venezuelan oil and gas extraction, production and sales, by threatening heavy sanctions against countries that do energy business with the Maduro regime.

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President Dr Irfaan Ali and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held bilateral discussions Friday at State House.

The discussions focused on consolidating the agendas of both countries in several areas, including regional security, trade, energy, investments, and human capital development.
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, and several Cabinet Ministers were also at the meeting.

Before the bilateral, President Ali and Secretary of State Rubio held a one-on-one meeting.

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Rubio Warns Venezuela Against Attacking Guyana or ExxonMobile

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says it would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if it attacked Guyana or ExxonMobil’s assets in the Atlantic.

He was answering a question from the media at a joint press conference in Guyana with President Irfaan Ali.

The Trump regime has taken a hard stance against Venezuelan oil and gas extraction as well as its production and sales.

The US government has threatened heavy sanctions against countries that do energy business with Nicolas Maduro’s administration.

According to Rubio, any attacks by Venezuela will not end well for the Maduro regime.

Rubio, in his introduction, declared support for Guyana from what he said was the illegitimate, narco-trafficking government in Venezuela.

The Secretary of State declared the US’s interest in working with Guyana and hailed its opportunity to work towards cheap and reliable energy.

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Gonsalves Meets With Venezuela, Guyana to De-escalate Essequibo Tensions

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, is meeting with Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro.

The talks are expected to help ease rising tension over the disputed Essequibo region.

Dr Gonsalves had an initial meeting with President Maduro on Tuesday. He met with President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Monday.

Dr Gonsalves is urging calm and restraint, and for both parties to return to diplomacy in the interest of maintaining economic and social stability for the entire Latin America and Caribbean region.

The Essequibo area lies west of the Essequibo River.

The territory, excluding the Venezuelan-controlled Ankoko Island, is controlled by Guyana as part of its regions.

It is also claimed by Venezuela as the Guayana Esequiba State.