Oil spill from Trinidad reaches Venezuelan coast, exceeds May disaster and threatens fishing
Venezuela's government says an oil spill originating from Trinidad and Tobago has reached its shores, exceeding the magnitude of a May leak and endangering fishing and coastal ecosystems.
Spill reported off Venezuelan coast
On June 12, Venezuela's foreign ministry announced that an oil spill from Trinidad and Tobago had crossed into Venezuelan waters, posing a threat to marine ecosystems, fishing and coastal communities. The statement said the leak exceeded the magnitude of a spill that had occurred in May, though no precise location or extent was given. The government confirmed the contamination through satellite images and activated monitoring and mitigation protocols.
There is a threat to the marine ecosystems and fishing activities and coastal communities.
Trinidad's response
Trinidad's energy minister Roodal Moonilal said the Air Guard and Coast Guard had been deployed with drones to search the sea, but no spill had been observed. The foreign ministry also asked Venezuela's embassy for coordinates.
The Air Guard and Coast Guard have been deployed to do reconnaissance work on the sea and with drones to determine the facts.
Political tensions simmering
Relations between Caracas and Port of Spain have been strained since Kamla Persad-Bissessar returned as prime minister in 2025, adopting a hardline stance on Venezuelan migration and aligning closely with the United States. The chill deepened after the US-led capture of former president Nicolás Maduro in January and Trinidad's criticism of CARICOM's support for him. The oil spill adds another layer to a fragile diplomatic relationship.
A history of cross‑border spills
This is not the first incident. In February 2024, the tanker Gulfstream sank off Tobago, contaminating over 15 kilometres of coast and drifting into Venezuelan waters. In early May 2026, a leak from the Soldado field's platform no. 2 in the Gulf of Paria spread across the maritime border, affecting 1,625 square kilometres, twelve strategic wetland systems, more than 500 fishermen and threatening four national parks. Venezuela demanded compensation and opened communications; in late May, Trinidad's then‑energy minister Ernesto Kesar and Venezuela's ecosocialism minister Freddy Ñáñez agreed to set up specific channels to manage such incidents. Still, on June 12, Caracas accused Port of Spain of failing to prevent yet another spill.
- Tanker Gulfstream sinks off Tobago, polluting 15 km of coastline and spreading to Venezuelan waters.
- Venezuela warns of spill from Trinidad's Soldado field, later estimated at 1,625 km² impact.
- Trinidad energy minister Moonilal says no spill visible from his country.
- Foreign minister Yvan Gil says Venezuela sent communications to Trinidad to assess impact.
- Energy ministers Kesar (T&T) and Ñáñez (Venezuela) agree to set up communication channels.
- New spill reported exceeding May magnitude; Trinidad deploys drones for reconnaissance.
Demands and next steps
Venezuela demanded that Trinidad and Tobago “assume fully its responsibility, adopt immediate measures to avoid new incidents and guarantee full transparency on the causes, scope and consequences of this spill.” It also reserved the right to take the case to international bodies to determine liability and seek compensation. Trinidad's government, for its part, was still gathering information as of Friday evening, with reconnaissance ongoing.
