Tragedy struck on Saturday, February 5th, in the waters of Trinidad and Tobago leaving an infant dead and their mother with injuries sustained.
The infant, identified as Yaelvis Santoyo Sarabia, and mother, Darielvis Sarabia, were reportedly aboard a vessel alleged to be carrying approximately 40 migrants. Coast Guard Officers claim they ordered the vessel to stop during a security operation that they allege was thought to involve human trafficking. After the vessel did not come to a stop, officials say officers shot at the engine in “self-defense” to prevent a collision.
The official statement says:
“The vessel eventually stopped and only then it was discovered that there were illegal immigrants on board who had remained hidden and were therefore not seen before. Further checks discovered one (1) adult female illegal migrant who was holding an infant and who indicated she was bleeding…the injured female was subsequently stabilised and has since been transferred to a local health facility. Regrettably, the infant was found to be unresponsive.”
The statement also offers condolences “to the family and loved ones of the infant” and wishes the mother, referred to as “the injured female,” a speedy recovery.
Following the seemingly vague report of the circumstances resulting in the death, Venezuela is requesting more clarity.
A statement from the Venezuelan Ministry of External Relations (MRE), originally published in Spanish, states that the Venezuelan Government is “urging the Trinidad and Tobago authorities to carry out an exhaustive investigation to clarify the facts surrounding this fatal incident”.
The MRE also said that: “President Nicolás Maduro Moros instructed the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry to activate diplomatic mechanisms in order to clarify this unfortunate fact, and establish the necessary binational protocols to consolidate cross-border security dynamics that preserve the good understanding between our countries.”
While this statement was published on Monday, Sunday night, the Trinidadian Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley issued a statement via the Office of the Prime Minister where he stated that he spoke to the Vice-President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez.
Dr. Rowley said:
“I just spoke to the Vice President of the Government of Venezuela. I conveyed our deepest sympathy to the family and wider Venezuelan community at this time of grief over the loss of life of the young child, at sea, during security operations involving TT Coast Guard and traffickers transporting illicit entrants.”
He added: “She promised to fast track the presentation of credentials for Ambassador Major General (Ret’d) Edmund Dillon, Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. That will facilitate an early meeting between Senior TT Coast Guard officers and senior officers of the Guardia Nacionale, to bring about better and more effective collaboration against the illicit trades of trafficking in people, guns and drugs etc, which are detrimental to both our nations.”
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNICEF also issued a joint release stating that they are “deeply saddened” by the news.
Joint Special Representative of UNHCR and IOM for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, Dr Eduardo Stein also noted that “This incident highlights the plight faced by people on the move during desperate and dangerous journeys to safety.”