PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The Ministry of National Security says a second batch of Venezuelan nationals were repatriated on Friday.
On Saturday, the Ministry of National Security said the deported Venezuelans had entered the twin-island republic illegally.
It said consistent with Friday morning’s repatriation exercise, all persons were screened by competent authorities of Trinidad and Tobago and by representatives of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The Ministry said this was to ensure, among other things, that there were no victims of human trafficking amongst them.
It added that cooperation between the Venezuelan Authorities, both civil and military, was maintained throughout the exercise.
The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard was the central operational unit in the exercise.
On Friday morning, 35 of 39 Venezuelan nationals held for allegedly entering Trinidad and Tobago illegally on February 6 were also deported.
It followed a high-sea chase on February 6 in Trinidadian waters. Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard officials, allegedly in self-defense, opened fire on a vessel containing undocumented migrants with women and children, leading to the death of a nine-month-old baby who was shot in the head.
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