The Venezuelan government has criticised Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s contribution to the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, accusing the Prime Minister of having what it said was a “rhetorical obsession” with Venezuela.

The communique on Wednesday evening, rejecting the Prime Minister’s statements, followed Persad-Bissessar’s sharp criticism of Caricom for its handling of tensions among the South American country, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States, during the opening ceremony of the meeting of Caribbean leaders on Tuesday afternoon.

Persad-Bissessar, who previously praised the US’ deadly boat strike campaign in Caribbean waters and who has supported the US President Donald Trump-led administration’s “counter narcotic” efforts since they first began late last year, said during her contribution that Caricom had been “unreliable” and had offered no voice as Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana were both “threatened” by Venezuela.