The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, announced the immediate suspension of all effects of the energy agreement with Trinidad and Tobago. The precautionary measure was approved and signed by the Head of State during the broadcast of his “Con Maduro+” program.
The president explained that this decision responds to statements by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who claims she intends to turn Trinidadian territory into a military platform at the service of the United States. He described this situation as an adverse geopolitical threat to Venezuela and South America:
«As a Bolivarian demonstration of brotherhood and solidarity, we had maintained this energy agreement” recalled the President. However, he stressed that faced with the threat of turning Trinidad and Tobago into «the aircraft carrier of the US empire,» only one alternative remained: the suspension of the agreement.
The measure was formally proposed by the directors board of PDVSA and by the hydrocarbons sector. Venezuelan oil authorities recommended denouncing the agreement signed years ago for the joint development of gas blocks between the two nations.
As a next step, the head of state announced that he will initiate a constitutional consultation with the organs of national public power. This consultation will include the Council of State, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the National Assembly to evaluate actions of a broader reaching.
President Maduro indicated that he expects to receive recommendations as head of state “in order to take a structural measure very soon» on this matter. The suspension of the agreement marks a turning point in bilateral energy relations.