Detention order issued for woman who posted picture of the Trinidad PM’s private residence

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A detention order has been issued for a woman who posted an image of Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s private residence on social media and urged Venezuela to target it, the Trinidad Guardian newspaper reported Friday.

It said that the order, which was made on November 12 and gazetted on Thursday, said that the woman should be held for her social media post.

According to the order, the woman “made and published public posts and/or comments on social media addressed to the Venezuelan Government in an attempt to influence public opinion in a manner likely to be prejudicial to public safety”.

It said that the posts and comments “invited violence on the Prime Minister, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and members of the public by Venezuela and/or external persons, which revealed “an imminent threat to public safety”.

Venezuela has accused Trinidad and Tobago of assisting the United States in its efforts to effect regime change in the South American country, under the guise of eradicating the illegal drugs trade.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has denied the allegation, insisting that her administration is supportive of Washington’s fight to combat the illegal drugs trade and is on record as saying that those engaged in the illegal drugs trade should be killed “violently”.

The Nicolas Maduro government has passed a motion declaring the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister persona non grata.

Trinidad and Tobago is under a state of emergency (SoE) that runs until January next year and the newspaper said that the detention order for the woman is one of four signed by Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander.

The others, the newspaper reported, are for being members of Organised Crime Group (OCG), with one of them being described as a supplier of large-scale trafficking of illegal narcotics, firearms, ammunition, contraband or uncustomed goods, human trafficking and fuel.

“The detainee and other members of the group are actively planning and preparing to assist in the execution of violent reprisal attacks utilising high-powered firearms in public spaces that would create a substantial risk of harm to bystanders and civilians,” the order said.

Another of the detainees is identified as the leader of the “Valley Monsters,” which is connected to other larger gangs with a cache of high-powered firearms, and is said to be responsible for murders, armed robberies, and narcotics and firearms trafficking.

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