United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Friday held talks with Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Stuart Young reaffirming Washington’s “strong” bilateral relationship with the oil rich twin island Republic.
The meeting came less than two weeks after the United States revoked the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) license granted to Trinidad and Tobago to allow Shell, the National Gas Company (NGC), and contractors to explore, produce, and export natural gas from the Venezuelan Dragon Gas Field.
The license was valid until October 31, 2025, and enabled Trinidad and Tobago to pay for gas in various currencies and through humanitarian measures. On December 21, 2023, Trinidad and Tobago also secured a 30-year exploration and production license from the government of Venezuela for the Dragon gas field.
Young had said then that he was hoping to hold talks with Rubio and that Port of Spain had been given a winding down period until May 27 this year regarding the decision to revoke the licence.
The main opposition United National Congress (UNC), which is contesting the April 28 general election in Trinidad and Tobago, has made the Dragon gas project a major talking point on its platform.
US State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce in confirming Friday’s meeting, said that Rubio had spoken with Prime Minister Young “to reaffirm the strong U.S.-Trinidad and Tobago bilateral relationship, emphasizing shared priorities in regional energy security and economic cooperation.
“Secretary Rubio recognized that energy security is important to Trinidad and Tobago’s prosperity and economy. Any outcomes of sanctions upon the Maduro regime and Venezuela is in no way indicative of our relationship with Trinidad and Tobago and the value we place on it.”
Bruce said that Rubio recognized the strategic importance of Trinidad and Tobago’s energy initiatives, and Young’s effective leadership in this area.
“Both sides agreed that we are going to work very closely to find a solution that achieves U.S. objectives regarding Venezuela without harming Trinidad and Tobago,” he said, adding that Rubio welcomed Prime Minister Young’s “exploration of viable options that support the country’s energy needs while remaining consistent with US sanctions policy”.
The spokesperson said that Prime Minister Young emphasized his government’s continued commitment to responsible energy sector development and regional security cooperation.
“Secretary Rubio reiterated the United States’ support for democratic governance and long-term stability across the Caribbean,” Bruce added.
A brief statement issued in Port of Spain noted that “they both agreed to continue working towards the successful pursuit of Trinidad and Tobago’s energy initiatives…”
Earlier this month, Young had reiterated the position he had outlined in February this year that Trinidad and Tobago would continue to advocate what is best for the country and the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM) after the United States announced a new directive that eliminates oil and gas licenses for foreign companies in Venezuela.
Port of Spain had been planning to request an extension from Washington for a license granted to Shell and the NGC to develop the Dragon gas project in Venezuela.
The license, issued in early 2023, allows the companies to plan the project. The project aims to supply gas to Trinidad by 2027. The Dragon Field is located in Venezuelan waters near the maritime border with Trinidad.
In 2023, the US amended the license to permit payments to Venezuela and its state company, PDVSA, in hard currency or kind, extending its expiration to October 2025. Shell and NGC require an extension to begin production following their final investment decision (FID), which is expected this year.
Young, who held talks with Rubio in Jamaica late last month and said he had been assured that Washington would do nothing to harm Trinidad and Tobago’s economic interests, said then that revoking the OPFAC license was not unexpected, given that the Donald Trump administration had decided to rescind the OFAC license granted to US oil giant Chevron.
“This has not come necessarily as a surprise, seeing how volatile things are, not only with policy concerning Venezuela but what we are seeing, for example, with the application of tariffs,” Young said.
CMC
