The Trinidad & Tobago Government is preparing a contingency plan involving Caribbean Airlines to evacuate any T&T nationals and staff of the country’s Caracas Embassy out of strife-torn Venezuela if the situation there deteriorates further, according to acting Foreign Affairs Minister Roodal Moonilal.

Clashes have been taking place since February 12 between students and state agencies, as well as between supporters of Venezuelan opposition groups and those of President Nicholas Maduro. Most recently, paratroopers were dispatched to the state of Tachira where violent student protests were reported.

Late Saturday T&T’s Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement assuring that all of the six T&T staff at its Caracas embassy were safe and arrangements were being made to secure them.

“After I received a report on the situation last Saturday I talked with Ministers Griffith and Howai to have plans in place to evacuate T&T nationals including our embassy staff, via CAL in case the situation worsens.”

The Government is now checking to see if there were any T&T holidaymakers or businessmen visiting Venezuela. He said he didn’t think the situation was bad enough for the Government to tell them to cut short their plans and leave Venezuela. However, Moonilal urged them to monitor the situation carefully and see if they wanted to return home. He advised them to exercise precautions while in that country.