HOURS after US naval warship USS Gravely docked at the Port of Spain port, the Venezuelan government released a statement denouncing what it describes as “military provocation” by TT, which it believes is intended to start a war.

In the statement issued on October 26, Venezuela said the joint TT-US military exercise scheduled for October 26 to 30, was a “hostile provocation” and a “serious threat to the peace of the Caribbean.”

Venezuela further claimed that the arrival of the USS Gravely in Trinidadian waters is part of a larger military operation designed to spark a conflict in the region.