In the wake of two powerful earthquakes that rocked central Venezuela last Wednesday, collapsing structures across the capital Caracas and driving up a growing death toll, Trinidad and Tobago’s Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has publicly voiced deep disappointment over the ruling government’s response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.
Speaking at a press briefing hosted by the People’s National Movement (PNM) at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Port of Spain on Thursday, Beckles issued sharp criticism of an official statement released by the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, labeling the document “insensitive” and openly questioning whether any senior official had reviewed and vetted the communication before it was made public.
The Opposition Leader extended formal condolences to the affected people and government of Venezuela, emphasizing that the death toll continues to climb as rescue teams pull more victims from the rubble of destroyed buildings. She stressed that moments of international humanitarian crisis demand a response rooted in compassion, solidarity, and clear leadership – standards she said the government’s current statement failed to meet.
Beckles argued that the ruling administration should have laid out the specific details of any assistance Trinidad and Tobago planned to offer to Venezuela immediately after the disaster, rather than releasing a vague, generic statement. She pointed out that other nations across the globe have already extended clear, direct offers of concrete aid to Venezuela, noting that as one of Venezuela’s closest geographic neighbors with a permanent diplomatic mission already operating in Caracas, Trinidad and Tobago is uniquely positioned to offer timely, meaningful support.
She called on the government to move beyond generic words of sympathy and immediately publish a transparent outline of the practical assistance the country is prepared to deploy to help Venezuela respond to the disaster and support its recovery efforts.