2 days ago
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Senior Multimedia Reporter
The three United States warships deployed to the Caribbean are expected to arrive tomorrow, and as they move in, Venezuelans living in Trinidad are hopeful that the deployment will lead to the removal of President Nicolás Maduro. They are also wishing for new elections to be held, enabling them to return home peacefully.
Fearful for their safety, all of the Venezuelan nationals interviewed by Guardian Media yesterday declined to give their names because of fear of persecution. However, they admitted they have been praying for US intervention due to the struggles they faced in their homeland. They acknowledged that the Venezuelan economy was better than in previous years but said food and other essentials remained out of reach.
One Venezuelan, who has been in Trinidad for the past few years, said that since news circulated that six United States warships have been deployed to patrol the Caribbean Sea as a means of dismantling Latin American drug cartels, Venezuelans have been worried. However, she claimed that state-controlled media in Venezuela has not been providing information, so Venezuelans have been relying on their friends and family in Trinidad to keep them abreast of developments.
Another Venezuelan claimed that many people who spoke out against the Maduro government faced persecution. He said militia officers who left Venezuela have been forced to return home under threats to their families.
President of the La Romain Migrant Support Committee, Angie Ramnarine, said many Venezuelans are hopeful about the US presence but do not want an outbreak of war.
“There is a lot of optimism because the average Venezuelan will tell you that once Maduro is out, they are ready to pack their bags and go back home,” she said. “When the election was held last year, many went back to vote because they thought they would be able to vote him out. They were disappointed when Maduro announced himself as the winner.”
Ramnarine said the disappointment was followed by fear, as open opposition often carried the risk of victimisation. She explained that many Venezuelans in Trinidad view the US deployment as a possible turning point.
“Now, having a very real force there, they are optimistic that a way will be made clear for them to go back home in a state that will begin to function in their interest again,” she said.
The US Navy recently deployed six warships to the Caribbean, claiming the move was aimed at countering drug trafficking linked to the Venezuelan government. The deployment includes the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, USS Sampson, USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale.
In response, Maduro denounced the move as a threat to Venezuela’s sovereignty and announced the mobilisation of more than 4.5 million militia members.
Ramnarine said some Venezuelans in Trinidad have delayed travel plans as they wait to see how the situation develops.
“There are people with sick relatives who were scheduled to depart soon to Venezuela, but they are in an uncertain position,” she said. “If they go, would they be able to come back?”
Asked about concerns that Venezuela’s allies, including China and Russia, could intervene in support of Maduro, Ramnarine said Venezuelans in Trinidad were focused on survival.
“They are only thinking about their personal lives,” she said. “They miss their country, its customs, and the support systems they had. Some go back with small savings to survive for a while, but when the money runs out, they return to Trinidad.”
She added that many Venezuelans in Trinidad remain concerned about the impact of the naval presence on trade and travel.
“There has to be some kind of policy for what is happening on our coastlines, even for the small shipping businesses that operate between the two countries,” she said.
She also said young Venezuelans who had been conscripted into the militia faced threats if they abandoned their posts. “When you abandon the militia, you are seen as betraying your country,” she said. “I know someone who was doing well here but returned because his family was threatened.”
Ramnarine said many Venezuelans in Trinidad had long prayed for international involvement.
“The anti-Maduro political factions have always looked to the United States for salvation,” she said. “In an ideal world, they want Venezuela back to a true democracy where votes matter. They want to rebuild their country after years of decline.”
But Ramnarine feared that, whatever the outcome, Trinidad would be affected.
“We are in a very difficult position,” she said. “Venezuela has been a neighbour for so long, and so has the United States. Diplomats are likely to remain neutral, but there is always the fear of backlash from Maduro.” Guardian Media reached out to Venezuelan Ambassador to T&T Alvaro Sanchez Cordero for a response, but did not receive one up to press time.
In a post on social media platforms, the Venezuelan Embassy wrote, “The world’s largest drug consumer threatens regional peace. Social movements and governments remain on alert in the face of Washington’s plan to deploy US military forces in Latin American and Caribbean waters under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.”
English (US) ·