"When the elephants fight, the grass suffers": As China deepens its grip on Venezuelan energy, the twin-island republic faces an impossible choice between survival and sovereignty
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, October 17, 2025 - The Dragon gas field sits tantalizingly close to Trinidad and Tobago's shores—just 10 miles across the maritime border in Venezuelan waters. With an estimated 4.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, it represents a potential lifeline for the twin-island nation's dying energy sector. But in 2025, accessing this vital resource has become a high-stakes gamble in a game controlled by Washington, Beijing, and Caracas.
