The Venezuelan government has claimed a second, much larger oil spill originating from Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) has contaminated its waters. According to the Venezuelan government, it was onfirmed via satellite imagery that this new spill surpasses the magnitude of one reported in May and threatens marine ecosystems, fishing, and coastal communities.

In response, Venezuela has activated mitigation protocols and is demanding that T&T take immediate action. Specifically, Venezuela is calling for T&T to:

Adopt immediate measures to prevent further incidents.

Provide full transparency regarding the spill’s cause, scope, and consequences.

Supply an action plan for mitigation and containment.

Venezuela stated it reserves the right to take legal action through international bodies to determine responsibility and demand compensation. This follows a similar incident in May, where Venezuela warned that a T&T-sourced spill in the Gulf of Paria severely threatened regional wetlands, mangroves, and marine life.