Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Sunday accused the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of engaging in what she called “zone of peace fakery”, warning that opposition to a U.S. military presence in the region risks emboldening Venezuelan “dictator” President Nicolás Maduro.
Her remarks, posted on X, sharpen divisions within CARICOM over the role of foreign security forces in Caribbean waters, as the United States expands operations it says are aimed at countering drug trafficking and enforcing sanctions on Venezuelan oil shipments.
The United States has increased naval patrols in Caribbean waters in recent months, citing efforts to disrupt narcotics trafficking routes and intercept tankers believed to be part of a shadow fleet transporting sanctioned Venezuelan crude. Washington has also carried out strikes against vessels it says were engaged in drug smuggling, actions that have drawn mixed reactions across the region.
Some CARICOM member states have stated their preference for limiting foreign military activity in the region to preserve peace. The bloc has long promoted the Caribbean as a zone of peace.
Guyana, which has welcomed U.S. military presence in the region, has taken a more cautious diplomatic tone, avoiding public criticism of its regional partners.
Persad-Bissessar conveyed that disengagement carries its own risks, arguing that the “zone of peace” narrative is “clearly designed to get the American military to leave the Caribbean region and therefore enable Maduro to remain as dictator in Venezuela.”
She also said Venezuela has been making threats to invade Guyana for years and is now making similar threats against her own country. The PM said her priority is in the best interests of Trinidad and Tobago.
Venezuela last week said Port-of-Spain has taken a hostile agenda toward Caracas since Persad-Bissessar took office, and on this basis, opted to terminate all contracts, agreements and negotiations for the supply of natural gas to Trinidad and Tobago. This comes at a time when the twin-island state is working to boost natural gas exploration and development.
