Stuart Young Welcomes Venezuela Outreach but Says Key Issues Remain Unresolved

Former Prime Minister Stuart Young has welcomed the recent diplomatic exchanges between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela following last month's earthquakes but cautioned that "much deeper issues" between the two countries remain unresolved.

Young said that the devastation caused by the earthquakes, which resulted in significant loss of life, displacement and destruction, required a humanitarian response rather than political division.

Describing the situation in Venezuela as “simply awful and sad,” Young said that T&T had a responsibility to assist its closest neighbour.

He said that he is pleased that as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, that they reached out and provided much-needed assistance and it would have been unacceptable otherwise.

Young also welcomed the communication between Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez. He described this exchange as an appropriate diplomatic response following the disaster.

He added that, he is pleased that there has been an expected cordial exchange of very diplomatic communication between the leaders of the two countries.

However, Young was careful not to suggest that the recent engagement represented a resolution of the broader challenges that have shaped relations between Port-of-Spain and Caracas.

He said that humanitarian crises like the recent earthquakes should not become ground for political confrontation.

“I do not believe that at a time of natural disasters, which have resulted in loss of lives, destruction and difficulty, politics, and in particular, negative politics should be present.”

He acknowledged the gestures between the two governments and said that they should be viewed within the context in which they occurred.

His comments come as cordial communication between T&T and Venezuela resumed after a period of strained relations between the two neighbour countries. After the earthquakes, Persad-Bissessar spoke with Rodriguez, expressing condolences and solidarity with the Venezuelan people. T&T provided humanitarian assistance, including more than 230 tonnes of supplies, while the two leaders had a conversation signalling that they are willing to maintain dialogue and cooperation.

This conversation has occurred after months of tension between Port-of Spain and Caracas. After returning to office, Persad-Bissessar publicly supported the United States’ approach towards Caracas. This helped in cooling relations between the two governments.