Commentary with Winston Barnes: Trinidad, Venezuela Trade Ties

SOUTH FLORIDA – Well as the saying goes, regarding Trinidad and Tobago and its relationship with Venezuela, things come up to bump. After the Trinidad and Tobago prime minister not only supported. Vocally, the U.S. attacks on boats in the Caribbean Sea. The two-island nation has continued to support the U.S.’s actions against its closest neighbor, Venezuela.

All of this time it should be noted that the two-island nation has maintained diplomatic and trade ties with the Spanish speaking country.

Trade Ties End

Yesterday the Venezuelan vice president announced that all ties, all relations with Trinidad and Tobago has come to an end, with immediate effect.

This was to be expected as people looking on from outside had to have misgivings not just about the U.S. radar being mounted in Tobago. But people have not forgotten the prime minister’s comment that drug smugglers ought to be killed, but they should be killed violently. A comment like that is not up to acceptable international diplomatic practice and expectations.

Questions abound; therefore, what is the country going to lose in this termination of relations, that the U.S. is going to provide?

I suspect not a lot. If claims that the U.S. is interested in Venezuela’s oil deposits are true. How soon would the U.S. start filling the gap yesterday’s announcement created?

As one report says, even before this move by Venezuela, recent developments would have severely affected energy-related trade and future cooperation.

Some of us could see this development coming.