The Trinidad and Tobago government says it is “closely monitoring the situation” after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claimed that a group of heavily armed Colombian hitmen entered eastern Venezuela from Trinidad.
Maduro made the statement during a televised speech on Monday at the inauguration of the new governor of Sucre state, Jhoana Carrillo.
“…we captured a group of terrorists, in the eastern part of the country, with a shipment of weapons of war, entering from Trinidad and Tobago. Half of them are Colombians, Colombian hitmen, brought across the Caribbean Sea to enter (Venezuela),” the Venezuelan president claimed.
In response, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Defence issued a statement on Wednesday acknowledging Maduro’s remarks and confirming that the country has launched a “comprehensive investigation” into the matter.
“The Ministry of Defence is aware of recent reports concerning a claim made by the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, alleging the infiltration by Colombian paramilitary groups in eastern Venezuela through Trinidad and Tobago,” the statement read.
According to the ministry, “preliminary findings indicate that there is currently no evidence to support these allegations.”
However, it added that “immediate and decisive steps” are being taken to address the situation with “the utmost seriousness and urgency.”
Trinidad and Tobago also plans to engage with Venezuela through official diplomatic channels to request any information or evidence relevant to the claims.
“The safety of Trinidad and Tobago citizens remains its highest priority,” the government stated, assuring the public that it “will continue to provide timely and credible updates through the usual communication channels.”
