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Venezuelan VP says T&T will pay for every molecule of Venezuelan gas
(Trinidad Express) Venezuelan Vice President and Energy Minister Delcy Rodriguez says Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is leading the people of Trinidad and Tobago “off-a cliff” when it comes to the Dragon Gas deal, adding that the country will have to pay for any molecule of natural gas exported from Venezuela.
‘DO NOT DARE’: Venezuela’s Vice-President, Delcy Rodriguez
Rodriguez was speaking Wednesday at the Venezuela Productiva 2030 economic forum. During her address Rodriguez veered from her presentation to refer to the United States Treasury Department’s granting of an Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licence to Trinidad to negotiate with Venezuela for the development of the Dragon project.
She claimed that if Venezuela did not export gas to Trinidad, the country’s economy would collapse and that US State Secretary Marco Rubio had sold Persad-Bissessar a lie.
“She is deceiving your entire country, she is deceiving the business sector of Trinidad and Tobago, and they are going to be left out in the wind. They need the oil of Venezuela, and the only way is through the government of Venezuela. There is no other way. Marco Rubio is not going to give the gas to Venezuela. You will see this sooner than later,” said Rodriguez.
Weeks ago, Attorney General John Jeremie held a press conference announcing that the stalled gas deal for T&T and Venezuela to jointly develop the Dragon Gas Field had “come alive” again with the granting of the licence.
The Dragon gas field, located in Venezuelan waters near the maritime border, is estimated to hold between 3.2 trillion and 4.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. A previous license negotiated by the former administration had been revoked in early April. Upon its election into government, the UNC government submitted an application on May 19, according to Jeremie.
The OFAC license is the first in a three-tier approval process. It authorises the US and T&T governments, as well as the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC), energy giant Shell Plc, and Futura Clara Ltd, to engage in negotiations with the government of Venezuela and Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) for the development of the Dragon gas field.
It also includes conditions designed to ensure that US companies secure a commercial stake in the deal. This initial tier of the licence is set to expire in April next year.
When he made the announcement Jeremie did not disclose the licence’s financial terms. Details of the license have not yet been confirmed but previous OFAC licences had prohibited any cash payments to the Venezuelan government for the project.
Rodriguez said that Rubio was selling smoke and pregnant birds to the Prime Minister.
“They are selling them the fake idea that they are going to take the gas from Venezuela to give to Trinidad. Do you believe that is possible? I speak from here to the people of Trinidad and Tobago the Prime minister is leading you over a cliff when you believe Marco Rubio is going to give the gas from Venezuela.”
“The gas of Venezuela you must pay for, any molecule that is exported not only to Trinidad and Tobago but any neighboring country that we have in our plans, you must pay. That is international cooperation, that is trade relations. Everything else goes against nature, and it does not exist and you are being deceived,” she said.
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