标签： Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuelan activist Yesenia González has voiced her strong support for US intervention in Venezuela, asserting that it is essential to end Nicolás Maduro’s rule and restore justice to the Venezuelan people. Speaking to a Newsday reporter at her office in Port of Spain on October 29, González expressed unwavering confidence that democracy would soon prevail in Venezuela. She criticized Maduro’s administration as a dictatorship, accusing him of severe human rights violations, suppression of free speech, and electoral fraud in the July 28 presidential election. González emphasized that Maduro’s presidency is illegitimate and called for the closure of the Venezuelan Embassy in Trinidad, describing it as an illegal entity. She also condemned Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles for hosting Venezuela’s ambassador, Álvaro Enrique Sánchez Corderoon, labeling it as inappropriate. González believes that US intervention will pave the way for new leadership in Venezuela, led by Edmundo González Urrutia and opposition leader María Corina Machado. She dismissed the National Assembly of Venezuela’s declaration of Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as persona non grata, calling it a meaningless act by Maduro’s allies. González also addressed the issue of illegal immigration in Trinidad, urging the government to engage in dialogue rather than deporting migrants, whom she described as valuable contributors to the economy. She warned of potential violent uprisings by Maduro’s supporters in Trinidad and called for vigilance against criminal groups like Tren de Aragua. González concluded with a message of hope, urging Venezuelans to stay strong and Trinidadians to remain calm, expressing her belief that Maduro’s rule is nearing its end.

A state of emergency (SoE) in Trinidad and Tobago, initially declared by the President on July 18 and extended by Parliament on July 28, has sparked confusion and legal challenges over its expiration date. While many detainees and their attorneys believed the SoE ended on October 28, government sources clarified that the emergency measures remain in effect until November 2. The SoE was authorized for a three-month period, with a second extension potentially pushing it into the new year. This clarification came amid threats of legal action from attorneys representing detainees held under preventive detention orders signed by Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander. They argued that continued detention after October 28 was unlawful, but government officials maintained that the extension is valid until November 2, and an upcoming parliamentary debate on October 31 to further extend the SoE does not affect the current detention orders. Over 80 detention orders have been issued so far. Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro supported the government’s decision to seek a three-month extension, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance to maintain national stability. He acknowledged that while the initial threat prompting the SoE had been neutralized, criminal networks remain adaptive. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced that the motion to extend the SoE will be debated in the House of Representatives on October 31, following a recommendation from Guevarro based on local intelligence and operational assessments.

Opposition Senator Janelle John-Bates has raised significant concerns regarding the government’s approach to child development and public servant compensation. During the Senate budget debate on October 27, John-Bates advocated for earlier screening of infants for learning impediments, arguing that the government’s proposed age of four to five is too late. She emphasized that early detection and intervention are crucial for addressing developmental delays in motor skills, speech, language, social and emotional skills, and cognition. John-Bates pointed out that other countries typically screen children between zero and three years old, leveraging the brain’s neuroplasticity during this critical period. She highlighted the importance of therapies such as speech, physical, occupational, and behavioral interventions to foster proper brain development. Additionally, John-Bates criticized the high cost of educational assessments and therapies, which can be prohibitive for many families. She also addressed the plight of single mothers facing the government’s 3.5% landlord surcharge, noting the difficulty of finding landlords willing to accommodate children. On the issue of public servant back-pay, John-Bates expressed skepticism about the government’s promise to deliver a 10% increase by Christmas, citing the absence of allocated funds in the budget. She graded the budget an ‘F,’ labeling it as ‘fluff, false, and fraudulent.’