National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds confirms that a police investigation has been launched into the Coast Guard’s killing of a Venezuelan child at sea over the weekend.

Minister Hinds addressed the matter in the Upper House this morning, in response to an urgent question from the Opposition.

Nine month old baby boy Yaelvis Santoyo Sarabia died in the arms of his mother, Darielvis Sarabia when the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard opened fire on their vessel as they tried to intercept it. Sarabia suffered gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital in stable condition. 

The Coast Guard said in an earlier statement that they fired the shots in self defense as the vessel rammed them as they tried to intercept it.

“All available methods were used including the use of the loud hailer, ship’s horn, searchlight and flares, to try to get the suspect vessel to stop, however, the vessel continued to attempt to evade TTS Scarborough. In keeping with standard protocols, warning shots ahead of the vessel were next employed,” the Coast Guard statement said.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley extended condolences to the child’s family and by extension the people of Venezuela, while urging migrants to avoid making the dangerous journey across borders.

“I express my deepest sympathy on my own behalf and of all the people of Trinidad and Tobago with respect to the unfortunate loss of life of the baby during the security operations. We continue to appeal to our Venezuelan neighbours to not be encouraged to risk their lives and the life of others in illicit and dangerous border crossings,” the PM said.

Dr. Rowley has also arranged with Venezuela’s Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, for a meeting to be held between Senior TT Coast Guard officers and senior officers of the Guardia Nacionale, in hopes of bringing about better and more effective collaboration against the illicit trades of trafficking in people, guns and drugs.