PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago (AP).— A warship of USA docked yesterday Sunday in the capital of Treatat a time when the government of the American president Donald Trump increases military pressure on neighboring Venezuela and its president Nicolas Maduro.
The arrival of USS Gravely —a destroyer with guided missiles— joins the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the capital of the Caribbean nation, which is approaching Venezuela.
Maduro criticized the aircraft carrier move, calling it an attempt by Washington to “invent a new eternal war” against his country.
The US goes against Nicolás Maduro
Trump has accused Maduro, without providing evidence, of being the leader of the criminal group Aragua Train.
Trinidadian and US officials said the massive warship will remain in Trinidad until Thursday so both countries can conduct training exercises.
A senior military official in Trinidad and Tobago told The Associated Press that the exercises were recently scheduled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
In a statement from its Foreign Ministry, Venezuela yesterday warned the international community that the “dangerous conduct of military exercises” in the waters of the neighboring country constitutes a “serious threat” to the Caribbean region and a “hostile provocation” towards the South American nation.
The official report added, without presenting evidence, that, according to information to which the Venezuelan government had access, an alleged “false flag attack” would be underway in the maritime zone bordering Trinidad and Tobago, which would seek to generate “a complete military confrontation” against Venezuela, and which also puts Colombia and other South American nations at risk.
Kamla Perish-Bussarthe prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, has openly defended the US military presence and deadly attacks on vessels suspected of trafficking drugs in waters off Venezuela.
Neidhart Renaissancechargé d’affaires at the US Embassy, stated in a statement that the exercises seek to “address shared threats such as transnational crime, and build resilience through training, humanitarian missions and security efforts.”
The visit comes a week after the embassy in Trinidad and Tobago warned Americans to stay away from American government facilities there.
Local authorities explained that this was due to a reported threat against Americans. Many people in Trinidad and Tobago criticize the ship’s docking.
Caracas accuses Trinidad and Tobago
Venezuela denounced the collaboration of Trinidad and Tobago with the United States “for a war throughout the Caribbean”, a region where the North American country maintains a naval deployment considered by Caracas as a threat to promote a “regime change.”
“The government of the Prime Minister (Trinidad), Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has renounced the sovereignty of Trinidad and Tobago to act as a military colony subordinate to hegemonic American interests, turning its territory into a United States aircraft carrier for the war throughout the Caribbean against Venezuela, against Colombia and against all of South America.”.
This was stated by the executive vice president, Delcy Rodriguez.
In a statement shared by the executive vice president, Nicolás Maduro’s Executive warned of “the dangerous carrying out of ‘military exercises’ by the government of Trinidad and Tobago between the 26th and 30th of this month, under the coordination, financing and control of the Southern Command” of the United States, in the island country, where the US Navy destroyer USS Gravely arrived this Sunday.
In addition to the destroyer, the 22nd Expeditionary Unit of the US Marine Corps is expected to arrive in Trinidad and Tobago, located very close to Venezuela.
Last Friday the Pentagon announced the shipment to the Caribbean of aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, the largest in the US fleet.