Trinidad PM says mulling 'deadly force' against Venezuelan ships

PORT OF SPAIN: Trinidad and Tobago's prime minister said Thursday she was considering using "deadly force" against any Venezuelan vessel in her country's waters, a day after Venezuela announced the arrest of a Trinidadian "mercenary.

""We have to take all threats against any incursion into our territory seriously. I will speak to the Minister of Defence and the Attorney General to seek advice on protections for our Coast Guard to use deadly force on any unidentified vessel entering T&T waters from Venezuela," Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters.The leader of the small English-speaking archipelago off the coast of Venezuela also urged migrants from that country to leave.On Wednesday, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced the arrest of a Trinidadian "mercenary," whom he accused of being part of a group of "terrorists" seeking to enter Venezuela.He did not provide further details. That came after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday said the group had entered Venezuela from Trinidad and Tobago with a load of "weapons of war."The Venezuelan government regularly denounces imaginary or real plots.

Persad-Bissessar rejected any Trinidadian involvement, decrying Cabello's comments as "threats."At the same time, Persad-Bissessar, who was sworn in as prime minister last month on a promise to prioritize security, stressed the need to address rising crime in Trinidad and Tobago.A total of 623 murders were recorded last year - up from 577 in 2023 - some of them blamed on Latin America-based criminal gangs like Tren de Aragua from Venezuela."I warned you all before the elections... yet crime involving Venezuelans continues to increase.""I am advising Venezuelan migrants who are here to please begin returning to your country," she said.