By Tony Deyal
Considering that in 1967, in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), The Mighty Cypher came up with “If the Priest could play, who is we?” and won the calypso crown. I wondered what would happen this year in the Caribbean, and beyond, if instead of a “Priest” we had a “Pope”? And not just an ordinary Pope but the pope of popes, Pope Francis.
Moreover, Pope Francis does not wait for tomorrow if he can do something today. Even more important, it makes it clear to all his people, regardless of race, colour, and creed, “The future starts today, not tomorrow.” He had some more to drop on those who work with him: “Anything done for another is done for oneself.” – “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought,” and “I have looked into your eyes with your eyes,” except someone asked. “Even if the person has no eyes? Or is sleeping?”
In Venezuela, which has always been close to Catholicism, it was interesting that when Hugo Ghavez, the prime minister of the time in Venezuela, died, the tough and top man, Maduro, declared victory in a presidential election in 2018. And even though more than 50 counties, including the US, refused to recognise Maduro as head of state, he took the post regardless. Worse, Maduro led a drug-trafficking organisation named “Cartel of the Suns.”
Despite being charged in March 2020 in New York for narco-terrorism and other crimes, including cocaine and guns, Maduro was not easy to catch and jail him. Imagine, despite the reward to catch him was moved to $15 million, then $25 million and now $50 million, all US$, he remains free. Maybe this, and the US breaking down boats with drugs, is what kept Maduro inside the house all the time, praying and reaching out to Pope Leo XIV to help maintain peace in the South American country. Maduro saw it was vital to get the Pope to know that Donald Trump had declared “armed conflict” because he, Maduro, had great faith in the Pope.
In fact, Maduro, worried that the US was being aggressive to him and his people, said in a TV address, “Today the consultation process began…to declare a state of emergency in accordance with the constitution and protect our people, our peace, and our stability if Venezuela were attacked by the America empire, attacked militarily.”
Then, on August 6, 2025, Trump followed suit. He called off efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement with Venezuela and told his special envoy, Richard Grenell, to stop all outreach. Interestingly, on the same day, Venezuela’s head of the National Assembly and the person used for dialogue with the US, said in a statement that through different channels, the US had been warned of “a serious threat” from right-wing groups, posing as followers of Venezuelan “president” Maduro.
Moreover, although the US government has so far given any indication that it will plan a ground incursion with the more than 4,000 troops stationed in the area, Maduro described the US naval deployment as a threat to the sovereignty of the South American country. The Mayor of the Libertador Bolivian Municipality, Carmen Meléndez, the pressure campaign by Trump against Venezuela’s government. She made it clear, “But if they dare (to invade) we’ll be waiting for them here.” Meléndez said she hoped a US invasion was not on the horizon, even though they had shown themselves to be “a bunch of crazies, who are capable of anything.” More, she made it clear, “… we will use all the weapons we have to defend the homeland.”
One of my friends asked: “Why, instead of fighting them, the US want to take over Venezuela? Is it to get all the oil they have? Doesn’t the US have enough money and oil that they could help Venezuela so they would not come to take over Guyana or T&T?” I told him I had no idea what the US was up to, but I would check. In fact, I ended up totally surprised by the US support for Venezuela. Since Fiscal Year 2017, the US has provided more than $856 million to help Venezuelans inside Venezuela and across to region, as well as the communities hosting them. $611 million in humanitarian assistance, more than $76 million of which is inside Venezuela.
My friend laughed: “Well, the way the US is behaving, it is clear they want back the money they gave Venezuela and some ‘extras’ for good measure. This is why they have a large number of soldiers who are tightening US military posture across the Caribbean and placed key assets to monitor, just in case Venezuela tries something against the US Arleigh Burke-class. These are larger and more heavily armed and able to conduct anti-aircraft warfare. Moreover, they have with them a combat, amphibious and a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine. So, given the power that the US has in the Caribbean, what about Venezuela?”
It was clear that Maduro had boasted that there was “no way” the US could invade the South American nation. The Venezuelans have publicly made it clear that they are well prepared to defend their sovereignty. More, while Maduro gives guns to his people to fight, the presence of US ships, submarines and frigates makes getting anything, especially people, into or near the sea difficult, if not totally impossible. It does not mean that Venezuela does not have some things to use but, as one of the international experts said, “I consider the Venezuelan Navy at the verge of obsolescence.” And this is what a few people in the Caribbean, especially in T&T and to a lesser extent, Guyana, are really worried about.
The question is, what could and would happen to us when the Russians and Chinese join up with Venezuela? Even more than just a “we” vs “them,” the Chinese have offered significant help to T&T, the one Caribbean group that is totally with Trump and standing up for the US.
From the T&T perspective, the Trini PM needs help from Trump because of the crime and drugs that go through Trinidad from Venezuela and other places. But given that T&T needs money badly, especially as they and Venezuela’s colleague, China, and now linked with T&T, it will be interesting to see how, when, where and what will happen now. Is it Trump and follow suit for the prime minister, or Trump and hollow suit?
As one colleague who has been following the up, down and all around, it will be best for T&T to go back to being first and fully a leader of the Caribbean group, hang on to it, and work together with all the others.
*Tony knows what Trump will do when he loses his tan. As he said in The Apprentice and two hundred employees, “You’re fired.”
The post If the Pope could play … who is we? appeared first on Caribbean News Global.