T&T PM backs US warships in Caribbean

T&T PM backs US warships in Caribbean

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has declared T&T’s full support for the United States as American warships enter the Caribbean to target Latin American drug cartels.In a statement yesterday, a day before the scheduled arrival of the vessels, Persad-Bissessar said her government has no hesitation in welcoming US assistance to combat drug trafficking.
“Trinidad and Tobago has been helplessly drowning in blood and violence for the last 20 years; Vice President JD Vance spoke the truth when he mentioned our high murder and crime rates. Therefore, no amount of Trump derangement syndrome tantrums and anti-American propaganda will prevent my government from welcoming assistance to combat the terrorist drug cartels,” she said.The Prime Minister noted that the government would not be engaging Caricom on the issue, adding that each member state can speak for itself. She also dismissed suggestions that the country had been pressured into allowing the deployment.

“No requests have ever been made by the American Government for their military assets to access Trinidadian territory for any military action against the Venezuelan regime,” Persad-Bissessar assured.
She stressed that T&T maintains good relations with the Venezuelan people, but affirmed that the country would allow US access if necessary to defend Guyanese territory in the event of an attack by the Maduro regime.Persad-Bissessar highlighted the severity of transnational crime in the Caribbean, noting that small island states lack the resources to tackle drug cartels independently.

“Due to drug, human and firearms trafficking, Caribbean countries, and in particular Trinidad and Tobago, have experienced massive spikes in crime, gang activity, murders, violence and financial crimes,” she said.“Record murder rates, gang activity, drug addictions, violent crime and increasing poverty throughout the Caribbean and especially in our country certainly do not paint a peaceful existence.“Therefore, it is shocking to hear some persons using referrals to the Caribbean region as a zone of peace to push negative commentary on the US military deployment against these terrorist cartels,” she said, concluding with a call for regional stability: “May good sense and peace prevail.”

PNM slams Sobers over US naval deployment comments

The People’s National Movement (PNM) has accused Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers of “gross insobriety” over his comments on the impending arrival of US naval assets in the southern Caribbean and his response to remarks by US Vice President JD Vance, who compared crime in Washington DC to T&T.PNM chairman Marvin Gonzales said the party will issue a formal response today, but criticised Sobers’ handling of the matter.He described Sobers’ position as “gross insobriety—not sober!” and accused the Government of taking a “voops and vaps” approach to foreign policy.After days of silence, Sobers told Guardian Media on Friday that the United States is a sovereign nation and where it chooses to deploy ships is not a matter for T&T. He dismissed speculation that this country could serve as a base for US troops, insisting T&T will not be drawn into Washington’s dispute with Venezuela.

T&T’s Ambassador to Caricom, Ralph Maraj, took a sharper line, questioning whether the Caribbean truly remains a “zone of peace” given mounting threats to stability.“Is it so peaceful now when one country wants to invade and claim more than two-thirds of its neighbour’s territory, which international law recognises as rightfully belonging to that neighbour?” he asked, citing Venezuela’s ongoing border dispute with Guyana.Former Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley also weighed in, warning that the Government’s commitment to defending the region’s peace is being tested by the US naval build-up. He accused the UNC of previously undermining diplomacy by supporting foreign efforts to install Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó.

His successor, former Prime Minister Stuart Young, described the situation as concerning, noting T&T’s long-standing commitment to the principles of non-intervention and non-interference.Guyana last week welcomed foreign assistance to combat organised crime and narco-terrorism, including networks such as Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles.Venezuela, however—backed by China and the regional bloc ALBA—condemned US naval action in the southern Caribbean.

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