On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil announced that Venezuela is willing to collaborate with Trinidad and Tobago in controlling the serious oil spill that has affected the coasts of this island nation and involves at least two vessels.
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"We are at the disposal of the government of Trinidad and Tobago to cooperate in whatever is required," he said, adding that Venezuelan technicians have held meetings with Trinidadian officials to assess environmental impacts and mitigation measures.
Following the instructions of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelan officials are monitoring the oil spill, which began a week ago but was not disclosed until last Sunday.
Trinidadian authorities have cordoned off the seriously affected area and emphasized that their tourist enclaves, including beaches and diving areas, were not damaged.
In this context, they explained that the most affected area was a lagoon located in the Atlantic Ocean six kilometers off the coast of Studley, on the island of Tobago.
According to the Tobago Emergency Management Agency, the oil slick measures 48 nautical miles (88 kilometers) long and 0.13 nautical miles (240 meters) wide. Residents of the area reported on social media the presence of dead fish and other marine creatures among the oil.
Meanwhile, the Trinidad-based NGO Friends and Fishermen of the Sea (FFOS) urged Trinidadian authorities on Wednesday to act more quickly.