Venezuela Blames Trinidad for Oil Spill Reaching Its Coast

Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said Friday that an oil spill it alleges originated in Trinidad and Tobago has reached Venezuelan shores, threatening marine ecosystems and fishing activity. Caracas said satellite imagery confirmed the spill and called on Port of Spain to take responsibility and prevent further damage.

The incident risks worsening already strained ties between the neighbors, which are separated by about 10 kilometers (six miles) of water. Venezuela said the spill endangers coastal communities but did not identify specific areas affected.

In a statement, Venezuela demanded that Trinidad and Tobago adopt immediate measures to stop additional pollution and provide transparency about what caused the spill, its scope, and its consequences.

Trinidad and Tobago’s government said it was working to verify the claim and sought more information from Venezuelan authorities. Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal said security services had been deployed to conduct reconnaissance at sea and with drones.

Trinidad seeks coordinates as it deploys air and sea patrols

Moonilal said the Air Guard and Coast Guard were carrying out patrols to determine the facts. He added that officials had asked Venezuela for specific location coordinates tied to the reported spill.

Port of Spain also contacted the Venezuelan embassy for further details, Moonilal said. Venezuela has not publicly provided an estimate of the amount of oil involved.

Dispute adds to diplomatic tensions between neighbors

The spill dispute comes amid broader political frictions between the countries. The source material says relations have been tense since Trinidad and Tobago’s new government expressed support for U.S. actions that led to former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s abduction, and adopted a tougher stance on Venezuelan migration.

The incident also recalls a February 2024 case in which a tanker sank in Trinidadian waters and pollution spread into Venezuelan territory.

Officials in both capitals have not set out a timeline for any joint assessment. Further details may hinge on whether the two governments agree on the spill’s location and cause.