Venezuela Declares Trinidad's PM Persona Non Grata, Suspends Gas Deal Amid US Military Presence

Venezuela's National Assembly unanimously declared Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar persona non grata amid escalating tensions over U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, accusing her of facilitating U.S. intelligence operations and undermining Venezuelan sovereignty. This diplomatic censure follows the arrival of a U.S. Navy destroyer in Trinidad for joint exercises, which Venezuela denounced as a provocation and a threat to its peace and sovereignty. In retaliation, President Nicolás Maduro ordered the suspension of bilateral energy agreements crucial for shared natural gas exploration, jeopardizing economic cooperation between the two nations. Persad-Bissessar dismissed Venezuela's actions as irrelevant, asserting Trinidad and Tobago's energy future does not depend on Venezuela, and criticized regional organizations for siding with Caracas. Venezuelan officials framed the dispute within the context of broader U.S. imperialism and espionage efforts against Venezuela, highlighting historical grievances and the strategic importance of Caribbean geopolitics. The conflict underscores how great power rivalries continue to destabilize regional cooperation and impact smaller nations.