CARACAS - Venezuela’s National Assembly has declared Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar persona non grata after she welcomed a U.S. warship to her country over the weekend for a joint military exercise.

Trinidad and Tobago, located just off the Venezuelan coast, is considered a close ally of the United States. The joint drills come amid rising tensions between Washington and Caracas, as the U.S. continues to accuse Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of links to drug cartels and has recently targeted boats suspected of smuggling in Caribbean waters.

Venezuelan authorities condemned the arrival of the American warship as a “provocation” and an act intended to destabilize the region.

Energy Cooperation Suspended

In response to the diplomatic fallout, Venezuela announced on Monday that it is suspending its energy cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago, effectively halting joint projects between the two neighboring nations.

At the same time, Trinidad and Tobago is reportedly considering a mass deportation of undocumented migrants, the majority of whom are Venezuelan nationals who fled their country amid the ongoing political and economic crisis.

The developments mark a sharp escalation in tensions between the two Caribbean nations and could further strain relations between Venezuela and U.S.-aligned states in the region.