(Trinidad Guardian) Unrest in neighbouring Venezuela can have consequences not only for T&T but also for neighbouring Caricom states involved in Petrocaribe and oil energy arrangements with Venezuela, says UWI Professor Anthony Gonzales. He spoke about the situation after unrest in Venezuela in the last two weeks. UWI’s Institute of International Relations will assess the situation across the Gulf at a panel discussion at noon today at UWI. Speakers will include Gonzales, Dr Mark Kirton, Dr Michelle Scobie and Dr Armando Garcia.
Gonzales said there were implications for T&T and the region arising from the Venezuelan unrest, including whether Venezuelans flee to T&T. He noted that since the last Chavez administration several Venezuelans had come to T&T and it had shocked him that some middle-class affected by the policies there had started to flee to T&T. He said if it continued and there was more repression and Opposition supporters were jailed, more would likely look to come this way.
Gonzales did not anticipate any increase in trade with Venezuela and T&T due to lack of foreign exchange there. Of great concern, however, he said, was how the unrest could affect neighbouring regional islands who depended on Venezuela for oil, via the Alba (Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas) and Petrocaribe arrangements.
“They in Venezuela have been under pressure to change it. The subsidy from the Venezuelan source is very crucial and several islands, including Jamaica, St Vincent and recently Grenada, have joined the arrangement, so one needs to watch that and the fallout from it,” Gonzales added. He told the T&T Guardian Venezuela was facing a crisis such as it never faced in the last 15 years since the current Government came to power.
