USS Gravely harms Trinbagonian economy

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar now claims she never wanted or needed Dragón gas, after having spent almost a million dollars of Trinidad & Tobago taxpayers money into an OFAC license that will expire without being used. All Venezuela wanted was peace in Caribbean, which is position shared by all other Caricom countries. Many people in both Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela have been working during last month trying to save Dragón gas deal, and trying to open avenues of understanding between our governments and populations. However, it has been impossible as United States Ship Gravely continues in Port of Spain. Military exercises could have been conducted in Atlantic coast of Trinidad, or in northern coast closer to Tobago. It was not necessary to be so close to international border of Venezuela.

We cannot accept such a provocation after having Donald Trump threatening us about incursion from CIA agents. Venezuelan domestic security has tightened. President Nicolás Maduro was supposed to concede an interview to United States television network CBS. However, such an interview was denied by Venezuelan Ministry of Defense: on grounds that such an interview would not be secure anymore. Venezuelan gas exploration, however, must be reassessed. Since Dragón and Patao gas exploration at this moment is not suitable, Venezuela might find it attractive to go back to domestic gas fields: such as Pedernales in Delta Amacuro State which is in mainland Venezuela, facing Atlantic Ocean. Pedernales is a legacy petroleum and gas field, which still has some recovery potential. Upgrading its infrastructure would provide a convenient stepping ground for developing Plataforma Deltana.

Partnerships with colleagues from Eurasia would be enhanced for developing Pedernales and Plataforma Deltana. Caricom is at great risk. Rift provoked by Trinidad & Tobago is significant while Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines continue being harassed by United States. Prime Minister of Grenada still has not announced a decision on letting the United States install radars at St. George's airport, while parachutes have been spotted around Saint Vincent and the Granadines. Prime Minister Mia Amor Rottley from Barbados continues stressing out need of peace. However, her voice sounds increasingly lonely. Caribbean security is necessary and cannot be provided by United States, as United States security is a direct threat against Venezuela.

Venezuela continues strengthening relations with Russian Federation. President Vladimir Putin signed strategic partnership between Russia and Venezuela, which was already approved by Venezuelan National Assembly, by President Nicolás Maduro, by Russian Duma and by Russian Senate. With Vladimir Putin's signature, agreement goes in full effect. Yesterday a huge military aircraft from Russia arrived into Simón Bolívar airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira state. Advanced Russian military equipment of various nature is presumed to have arrived in such military cargo plane from Russia.

United States narrative seems to be shifting into asking President Maduro to leave power as he could be assassinated. Venezuelan people and government have invited United States to invade, as we are ready to receive them with our Venezuelan military capabilities. It would be more prudent for United States authorities to act more and speak less. It sounds like United States is trying to instill fear: so that they don't have to use their military equipment. Arrival of United States ship Gerald Ford is expected within two weeks. There is ample time for preparing for such arrival. We will monitor change of conditions during next few days. 

Emphasis during last weekend has been devoted to conclusively solve impasse with Trinidad & Tobago: by completely suspending our gas arrangement, which had started in 2015 and was automatically renewed in 2025. However, Venezuela is using a clause of termination if feasible. Venezuela unfortunately cannot do business with a country that is hosting hostile armies, pointing towards aggression into Venezuela.

Grenada also has gas fields. It would be wonderful if they could be developed along with Venezuela. Concern arises on attitude of prime minister of Grenada, by taking too long to decide where Grenada's interests are. Will Grenada fall prey to United States imperialism? Will Grenada along with Venezuela, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Dominica strive for a United Caribbean?

Belize is a Central American country which is very far away from rest of Caribbean. They have Spanish Lookout oil fields, along with impressive tourism potential. Belize's support to Venezuela is appreciated. Just as Guatemala on many occasions has supported Guyana, countries of Caribbean need to mesh even further: while United States tries to divide us to conquer. We have got to a situation where Trinidad & Tobago gets armed by United States, while Venezuela gets armed by Russia, China and Iran. Best case scenario would be that whenever political conditions improve, Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago engage in a common Caribbean defense strategy: with a harmonization of different military equipment from United States, Russia, China and Iran together: to defend our common Caribbean Sea as our sphere of influence.

Venezuelan economy of course is not doing well. Valuation of bolívar, our national currency, has accelerated. Every day dollar is more costly than it was day before. Sanctions are biting. Petroleum extracted by Chevron is not paid for in hard currency. While some macroeconomic figures look good on paper, Venezuelan businesses and individuals continue struggling. This economic war is intended to promote people to protest. However, people have already learned that economic troubles by design are imposed by United States, so that we claudicate and accept any puppet government they would like to impose upon us. United States is not interested in Venezuelan democracy. United States is interested in Venezuelan oil, gas, gold, and uranium.

Once upon a time, I thought that privatization of our Venezuelan petroleum industry was desirable: as some extraction methods could be quicker. Nowadays, I no longer support privatization of Venezuelan oil industry. Pdvsa must remain our flagship petroleum company, enabling joint ventures from worldwide partners. Our trading partners are mostly from Eurasia, as many South American and Caribbean potential partners are threatened by United States sanctions. United States is too interested in Nicolás Maduro stepping out of power. Such emphasis by United States of a regime change is actually entrenching Nicolás Maduro, as our president has become a symbol of Venezuelan resiliency and Venezuelan self-determination. It will be a Venezuelan achievement to improve our economy by opening to new markets, replacing imports from United States: as already is happening with nafta.

Heavy crude is now being processed with Russian nafta rather than American nafta. We don't even need United States for English courses: as we have a variety of English-speaking countries next door. Venezuelans are well aware that United States may strike. Many of us might die. Many might survive. Colombia seems on a good path of unity with Venezuela. Brazil timidly is also providing diplomatic support, while Mexico increasingly gets threatened by United States as well. Balance of power in South America and Caribbean will be chaotic: as some countries will defend United States. Other countries will defend Caribbean and South American sovereignty, while diplomacy is not being given a chance: as reflected by Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar who was boasting of Dragon gas OFAC license, while she now says that such deal is not important.

Donald Trump is in Asian countries. He doesn't seem to be doing much there. Foreign trips of Donald Trump tend to be quite ceremonial. opaque deals are signed and once Donald Trump leaves those countries, they continue engaging in trade against themselves bypassing United States. It will be necessary to wait until Donald Trump arrives back into America to have further clues on what will happen with Venezuela war. It looks like Venezuela will hastily deploy, for defensive purposes, all equipment received yesterday from Russia. Our missiles, boats, aircraft and air defense systems are calibrated daily: in expectation of first offensive strike from United States, which might come from either Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico, Panama, or USS Gerald Ford once it gets into our vicinity.

United States officials continue suggesting President Nicolás Maduro should leave power. However, Venezuelans are proud of Nicolás Maduro government because of efficient strategies of ministers Diosdado Cabello and Vladimir Padrino López: who have enhanced a perfect military, police, popular unity for defending our country. Most English speakers unfamiliar with Venezuela might see, in social media, an emphasis on terrorist propaganda of Venezuelans asking for regime change. Many of them are exiles who don't like their country and would like their country to be invaded. It has been necessary to promote a systematic revocation of Venezuelan nationality to those people, which is a less severe punishment than just executing them for treason to homeland, as happens in fascist dictatorships such as United States or Nazi Germany.

Colombian primaries for successor of President Gustavo Petro have been completed: with victory of candidate Cepeda who will now be trained to continue Gustavo Petro's constituent proposal, for enhancing unity with Venezuela. United States bases are expected to be declared unlawful and unnecessary. President Petro might ask United States military to remove soldiers and military equipment out of Colombia soon: as similar steps are being made in Colombia just as in Venezuela. We have been dismantling Dragón gas deal, as terms of trade offered by Trinidad & Tobago through OFAC pretension of not paying Venezuela with cash, were deemed unacceptable. 

Colombia would not like to invade Venezuela with United States military equipment. President Gustavo Petro is conscious that United States equipment within Colombia might attempt against his life, just as it happened in Panama in 1989 when they had Panama Canal Zone and various military bases: which all promoted regime change in Panama that ousted President Noriega out of power. Therefore, it will be convenient for Colombia to close out military bases in Colombia. Ecuador might place those military bases in Ecuadorian soil, if population of Ecuador so decides.

Argentina just held elections. By a slight difference, governing party of Javier Milei won seats in National Assembly. However, no party received absolute majority. Most Latin American countries seem in a huge polarization promoted by United States: exacerbating carrot and stick strategies. It is unclear how long we will stay in this situation. United States military is currently being paid for by ultra rich donors: who are probably engaged in arms weapons traffic. They need wars to break out so that they can sell weapons.

A strong opposition is being seen in New York major elections where Mandani, a highly progressive candidate is expected to win, offering a fresh opposition figure to Donald Trump's regime in his home city of New York. New York City is still headquarters of United Nations. It is likely that countries worldwide will continue arrangements for taking United Nations out of New York City: into a new headquarters such as Qatar, because United States is no longer guaranteeing diplomatic immunity, or passage to delegations of Palestine or to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

United States has applied wars against Iran, against Iraq, against Palestine, against Libya, against Afghanistan, against Vietnam, against Korea, in addition to numerous regime change operations in most Latin American and Caribbean countries. United States is not suitable for continuity of its United Nations headquarters: because home advantage of United States is unfair for countries such as Venezuela, which are finding it increasingly difficult to make their voices heard. For that reason, Russia and China are suggesting to increase number of permanent members at United Nations Security Council. However, General Assembly should take a step further and require United Nations to move out of New York City into another country which is perceived more neutral.

We would like to spare this planet from World War III. We would like Caribbean to continue being a zone of peace. However, it looks likely that war will emerge, as diplomatic efforts by Venezuela are constantly ridiculed by Donald Trump's regime. While Venezuelan expatriate media is wealthy, they can hire many bots as they are technologically proficient for doing so. Algorithms in social media punish progressive pacifist voices, while they amplify fascism, nazism, and warmongering: because conflict is marketable and promotes likes, views, and subscriptions into social media. Nevertheless, Venezuela will continue offering peace. We will continue stoically receiving provocations, while we are ready to retaliate once there is conclusive evidence that United States military forces have already entered our territory.

CIA agents are being discovered in Venezuela territory and of course they will be arrested. Trinidad & Tobago fishermen who go fishing next to Venezuela waters must understand that Venezuelan military has obligation of not letting them in, as we are strengthening our immigration operatives in search of CIA agents: that could have been transported in recent visit of USS Gravely into Port of Spain. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago will now initiate procedures for gas supplies from elsewhere, as unfortunately she never wanted to dialogue with Venezuela. Same will happen to Donald Trump, as he seeks to loot Venezuelan heavy oil and conventional oil fields. His military will probably fail: only way to oust Maduro or to impose a puppet regime in our country would be at expense of a lot of American blood, which United States public opinion will certainly not be willing to tolerate.