PM: TT will work with any Venezuelan leader chosen in free elections

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. - File photo

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said ultimately Venezuelans must choose their own leaders, in a statement to Newsday on January 4.

After the US military snatched former Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro on December 3 for trial in the US for alleged narco-trafficking, US President Donald Trump said former vice president Delcy Rodriguez would become new leader and the US would run Venezuela. Trump said opposition figure Maria Corina Machado lacked popular support.

Newsday asked if TT could now work with a Rodriguez-led administration, as Persad-Bissessar was deemed a persona non grata by the Maduro government where Rodriguez was deputy.

Persad-Bissessar told Newsday via text, "I have no issue with whoever is selected to run a transition government as long as free and fair democratic elections are the end result in the near future. I want to make it clear, I support free and fair democratic elections. I do not support any specific person or organization.

"The Venezuelan people must choose their leaders, if they choose Delcy Rodriguez or Maria Machado or anyone else through free and fair elections, my government will work with them." The PM said everyone will have their opinion on the presence of the US military in the region.

"I support any initiative or action that improves the lives of the people of TT. The US military presence has definitely improved our safety."

Political scientist Dr Indira Rampersad told Newsday strange things happen in politics, yet questioned whether TT need bother to try to forge a new relationship with Rodriguez.

"First I want to say politics makes strange bed fellows and anything is possible in love and war."

She said US President Donald Trump has recently sent very mixed signals by saying Rodriguez would lead and the US would run Venezuela.

"It could be that Trump mentioned that to her at the middle of the morass and he didn't mean it. I don't know."

Rampersad said Rodriguez was and is "an integral part of the same ilk and ideology as Maduro."

"That might have been an error on his part. Besides, I don't know if you can just put her as leader."

Rampersad did not think the US should name the Venezuelan leader.

"What I think has to happen there is free and fair elections, a democratically-elected leader by the people and for the people.

"And then the TT government can engage that government, that legitimate government."

Rampersad said anything was possible, such that the PM could engage Rodriguez.

"Worse has happened in history. Leaders fall out; leaders make back, for political expediency, in the interests of their constituents, country or selves.

"So yes, it is possible. Even with Maduro it was possible."

Newsday asked if Rodriguez could survive any time, between the rock and hard place, of reformers versus remainers in the Venezuelan cabinet some with a US bounty on them.

Rampersad said, "Yes, I think she is going to have a hard time and I think her leadership of Venezuela is short-lived.

"That is why I kept thinking it is interim and a soft-run measure."

She said Venezuelans have now already got a taste of change with Maduro's removal.

"There are expectations across the world with migrant Venezuelans including from TT, the US and Latin America - eight million people!

"They would not want to go back, to Delcy. So they would not want more of the same. But the taste of change is there, now lingering and they want to swallow that fully.

"So I don't think she is going to survive as leader of Venezuela."

Rampersad expected the Venezuelan people to call for free and fair elections.

"I think the people might be calling for free and fair elections. That is what I would want myself. I think the people of Venezuela have to make the decision on who their leader is.

"There should be elections, with ample observers, so the people can legitimately elect what kind of leader they want, who they want for their leader."