Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says a diplomatic delegation to Venezuela will depart Trinidad and Tobago shortly as the Government seeks to ensure T&T gets its “just share of the oil and gas that we partly own through the (National Gas Company)”.
Persad-Bissessar made the announcement yesterday as she spoke during the commissioning of fire tenders at the Penal Fire Station.
In addition to promoting the safety and security of the nation through the commissioning of a fleet of six fire vehicles, the Prime Minister said her Government was also securing the nation’s safety and security “in the economic space”.
demonstration: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar looks on as acting divisional fire officer Dian Questelles, left, explains the use of some of the tools aboard one of six fire tenders during the commissioning ceremony at the Penal Fire Station yesterday afternoon. —Photo: DEXTER PHILIP
“Whilst we bring help and promote safety and security with these fire tenders, I just want to tell you that we’ve been working really hard with the government of the United States and other governments, and that shortly, a diplomatic delegation will depart Trinidad and Tobago to go to Venezuela to ensure we get our just share of the oil and gas that we partly own through the NGC,” she said.
She continued: “So, while we look to safety and security in this sense, we are looking for your safety and security in the economic space, which is very important. We have not forgotten.”
Asked yesterday if she would be accompanying the delegation to Venezuela, Persad-Bissessar said it was “a work in progress”.
In October 2025, Attorney General John Jeremie announced that Trinidad and Tobago had officially been granted an OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) licence from the US Treasury Department to pursue the development of the Dragon gas project with Venezuela.
Persad-Bissessar later issued a release stating, “The granting of the OFAC licence is the result of immense hard work and represents a fresh starting point in the ongoing negotiations.
“It follows my recent meeting with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, where we engaged in productive discussions on deepening cooperation and advancing mutual interests.”
Denying there were tensions between T&T and Venezuela, Persad-Bissessar said diplomatic relations with Venezuela continued.
In October 2025, citing tensions with Persad-Bissessar, her previous statements and the country’s welcoming of US forces in the Caribbean, Venezuela’s then-vice-president Delcy Rodriguez announced the immediate suspension of Venezuela’s gas agreements with T&T.
Rodriguez, who was speaking during a news conference in Venezuela, said the proposal had been approved by president Nicolas Maduro, which had been put forward by the board of the Venezuelan state-owned company PDVSA (Petroleos de Venezuela).
Venezuela had accused T&T of collaborating with the United States on a false-flag operation it claimed was being carried out as the US warship USS Gravely docked in Port of Spain on October 26, 2025.
Venezuela had alleged that the USS Gravely’s presence in T&T was part of an act of hostile aggression against the country.
Rodriguez said the Venezuelan Ministry of Popular Power for Petroleum and PDVSA’s board of directors had decided to propose to Maduro the immediate denunciation of the Framework Agreement on Energy Cooperation between the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which was signed in 2015 for ten years and automatically renewed in February 2026 for another five.
Citing article 13, paragraph three, she said it gave either party the authority to terminate it, Rodriguez added.
According to Rodriguez, the agreement covered broad areas of energy cooperation, joint gas field development, infrastructure projects, hydrocarbon initiatives and monetisation of shared resources.
Rodriguez said T&T has in the past signed important agreements with Venezuela.
Persad-Bissessar was later declared “persona non grata”, an unwelcome person, by Venezuela’s National Assembly.
The expected mission to Venezuela follows multiple visits by former energy minister Stuart Young.
During the period August 2022 to June 2024, Young had travelled to Venezuela 13 times, totalling 34 days.
In 2024, OFAC issued a second licence to T&T for the cross-border Manakin-Cocuina gas field, which was expected to be operated by BP.
Both licences were necessary due to ongoing US sanctions against Venezuela.
