In a significant diplomatic move, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has declared the immediate suspension of energy agreements with Trinidad and Tobago. This decision follows a formal proposal from Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to halt the Energy Cooperation Framework Agreement with Port of Spain. Maduro, during his weekly television broadcast, accused Trinidad and Tobago of serving as a strategic outpost for the United States, compelling him to terminate decade-old treaties. He claimed that Trinidad and Tobago had exhausted its gas reserves before Venezuela could assist under the agreement. However, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar dismissed the suspension, asserting that her country’s economic and energy strategies remain independent of Venezuela. The two nations initially agreed to jointly explore gas reserves in 2018, but the project has been hindered by U.S. sanctions on Venezuela. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently expressed support for Trinidad’s Dragon gas proposal but emphasized measures to prevent significant benefits to Maduro’s government. The Dragon gasfield is estimated to hold 119 billion cubic meters of gas. Meanwhile, escalating tensions in the Caribbean have seen increased U.S. military presence, including a nuclear-powered submarine and reconnaissance aircraft, targeting alleged Venezuelan-backed drug traffickers. Venezuela has denied these accusations, labeling U.S. actions as a threat to regional peace. Trinidad and Tobago has openly supported the U.S. operations, with Persad-Bissessar advocating for violent measures against traffickers. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto condemned the U.S. military threat as illegal and immoral during a United Nations General Assembly address.