Story updated at 10:00am:
According to Venezuelan authorities, the 16 children who were allegedly deported by Trinidadian officials have been located.
Journalist and Politician, Omar Gonzalez Moreno posted a dramatic photo to social media, purportedly of the rescue.
“They report that the 16 children deported from Trinidad turned up. They are in La Barra (an Orinoco channel in Delta Amacuro state), there they have telephone coverage and they communicated with the parents who remained in Trinidad. They are waiting to be moderated by the authorities.”
Juan Guaido, who attempted to overthrow the Maduro regime to become Venezuela’s president a few years ago also spoke out on the matter.
“The cruel treatment of Venezuelans who have been forced to migrate as a product of the dictatorship is painful and inhumane. Parliament will launch an investigation and the world is watching for events in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Original Story:
Venezuelan nationals from all over the Western Hemisphere have come out to condemn the alleged actions of the Trinidadian authorities which led to 19 Venezuelan women and children being put on pirogues and sent back to their homeland.
They were due to appear before Justice Avason Qunilan-Williams yesterday, who previously said that they should be allowed to stay in T&T pending the outcome of their case, but they’d never make it to their hearing as they were allegedly deported on Sunday morning.
In a story published by the Trinidad Express, it was unclear whether they ever made it to the mainland; they reportedly stayed out in the waters hoping to be able to return to T&T.
As the news broke on Monday, Venezuelan nationals took to social media to decry the actions.
On Twitter, Venezuelan Digital Media Specialist Johnattan Bilancieri said: “Everything indicates that Trinidad and Tobago incurred in violation of human rights in the case of the deported Venezuelan minors, pending the pronouncement of @DrKeithRowley. Hopefully they will be as quick as they have been to evade sanctions and do business with the Maduro regime.”
He also claimed that the action put Trinidad and Tobago in violation of the United Nations’ Convention on Refugees.
Other users went on to use obscene words and phrases to describe Trinidad and Tobago and its nationals.
Another Venezuelan journalist, Derek Blanco, again questioned where the 16 children were.
“@DrKeithRowley’s irresponsibility and inhumanity deported Venezuelan minors amid adverse conditions; At this time, it is not known where they are and the only person responsible is you. #wherearethe16 #DondeEstanLos16”
This morning, Blanco added that the children still were not officially found despite rumours.
The Ministry of National Security is set to hold a press conference today to address the matter.
¿De dónde sale tanto cretino?
16 niños echados al mar por el gobierno de Trinidad y Tobago que NO APARECEN ¿y yo soy racista?
¿Tú sufres de alguna patología? ¿Estás medicado? Busca ayuda! https://t.co/nZkeaBx2pl— K! (@Karinabarbosa) November 24, 2020
Trinidad and Togabo’s PM @DrKeithRowley put 16 children in a small boat (including a 4 month old BABY) and deported them back to Venezuela. The boat is lost and the children went missing. HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! #DondeEstanLos16
Please HELP @JackPosobiec @RealJamesWoods pic.twitter.com/aQaFVwGSDX— K! (@Karinabarbosa) November 23, 2020
Dios mío haz que esos niños regresen sanos y salvo,you bastards will be guilty of what happens to those children
— Maria Aldrey (@mariaaldrey) November 24, 2020
