Senior Reporter
jesse.ramdeo@cnc3.co.tt
Professor Emeritus of International Relations Anthony Bryan has warned that Trinidad and Tobago must proceed with extreme caution as regional tensions continue to escalate between Venezuela and the United States, noting that missteps could have serious consequences for the twin-island nation.
He made the comment in the wake of Venezuela’s recent claims that the visit of the USS Gravely to T&T formed part of a planned “false flag attack” intended to provoke hostilities against Caracas.
“A false flag attack is an attempt to deceive,” Professor Bryan explained yesterday.
“It’s a technique that’s been used throughout warfare as far as history goes, you know, attack and blame it on someone else. That’s what it is in simple terms.”
He said Venezuela perceives the current situation as a provocation and that T&T could easily find itself in the crossfire if tensions worsen.
“The Venezuelans see it as provocation,” he stated.
“And the fact is that we are caught between a rock and a hard place. Because if it is ever perceived that an attack on Venezuela came from our landmass, then we would be subject to, I think, severe repercussions from the Venezuelan military.”
He noted that visits by US naval vessels to Trinidad are not unusual, but said under the current geopolitical climate, such actions could be misinterpreted by Venezuela.
“I think the visits of US warships to Trinidad have gone on for a long time,” Bryan said.
“But in the present tense circumstances, it can send the wrong signal to Venezuela. The best way to avoid that is to simply remain quiet, not throw ourselves under the shadow of the Trump administration, as has been done, and simply maintain a neutral posture in all of this.”
Bryan’s warning underscored growing concerns among regional analysts that the Caribbean could be drawn into a wider power struggle between the United States and Venezuela if diplomatic restraint is not maintained.
He urged Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to be wary of her public statements, warning that inflammatory rhetoric could further strain relations.
“We have to tread very cautiously,” he said.
“We must not continue to make outrageous statements, as have been made by the political leader. And we simply, you know, there’s an old African proverb, when the lions are playing in the tall grass, it is time to abandon the picnic.”
