Venezuela said Friday that an oil spill from the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago has spread to its own shores, putting fragile ecosystems at risk.
“There is a threat to the marine ecosystems and fishing activities and coastal communities,” said the Venezuelan foreign ministry.
Venezuela and neighboring Trinidad and Tobago have had tense relations in recent years.
The ministry demanded that Trinidad and Tobago “fully assume its responsibility by adopting immediate measures to prevent further incidents,” and be transparent “regarding the causes, scope, and consequences of this spill.”
The Venezuelan government did not specify which areas were affected by the spill. Trinidad and Tobago, a small English-speaking island nation, lies just 10 kilometers (six miles) off Venezuela’s coast.
Relations between the neighbors have been strained since Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar returned to power in 2025, adopting a hardline stance on Venezuelan migration and strengthening ties with the United States, prior to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro in January.
The spill echoes a February 2024 incident, when a tanker sank in Trinidad and Tobago’s waters and pollution spread into Venezuelan territorial waters.
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