The Prime Minister says his government will not support any plans by the US to place troops in Trinidad and Tobago in the event of a conflict in Venezuela.
He emphasised this repeatedly at a post-cabinet media briefing on December 12, at which he berated the Newsday for its article titled 'Government signs agreement as White House ups pressure on Maduro - US can put troops in TT.'
The article said the government had signed five agreements with the US, at least two of which allow for US troops to be stationed in in this country in the event of any conflict in Venezuela if the TT government gives permission, .
Rowley, who hosted the media briefing solely to respond to the article, said his government's actions in the past had spoken louder than words.
'We don't countenance a breach of peace in the region and we will not facilitate any such move.
'It is so far from what TT represents and has represented in recent years, months and days.'
Recalling TT's role in preventing possible conflict in Venezuela, Rowley said his government had never wavered on its stance that the Caribbean should remain a zone of peace.
'There was a situation where the US government led arguments about regime change in Venezuela. It got very heated and to the point where people were expecting physical action. The EU had given Maduro eight days to leave office. Canada said to us in Caricom, 'Time to talk is over,' and our question was, 'Time for what now?'"
He said TT took a leadership role in talks to preserve peace within the region.
'The prime minister of Barbados and myself went to the office of the UN Secretary General to take a different position on the Venezuela issue. We didn't stop there. TT and Caricom went to Uruguay and took part in generating the Montevideo accord which was meant to prevent any instance of the breach of the peace in the Caribbean.
'All along, TT has a leadership role, and at every stage in the game, the media knew what the country's position was.'
He said the article was irresponsible and had serious diplomatic implications.
Rowley added the picture on the front page of him, Commander of US Southern Command Admiral Alvin Holsey, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and US ambassador Candace Bond sent the wrong message. The photo was sent to media as part of a US Embassy statement.
'When this shows up in Caracas, (they will ask) where is this coming from?
'To tell the world and Venezuela that we have entered into an agreement, (and) to tell Guyana and Caricom that this picture is representative of an action we have taken…and it is about us creating an environment where the US can place troops in TT to respond to instability in Venezuela.
"Whoever did this is not acting in the interest of the people of TT.'
The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) allows for US troop deployment to TT in times of natural disasters.
Newsday understands the US can also request permission to deploy troops to TT using SOFA in the event of a conflict in nearby Venezuela.
Newsday understands similar
