Trinidad declines to endorse CARICOM stance on regional security

Trinidad and Tobago stood apart from its Caribbean Community (CARICOM) neighbours this weekend, declining to endorse a regional statement on key security and stability issues — including the growing presence of the United States military in the region — after leaders met to discuss a recent security build-up and a spate of deadly maritime strikes.

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According to a CARICOM communique issued after the meeting, heads of government discussed the increased security activity in parts of the Caribbean and its potential impacts on member states. The communiqué said the meeting reaffirmed “the principle of maintaining the Caribbean Region as a Zone of Peace and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict,” but noted that Trinidad and Tobago “reserved its position.”

The meeting comes amid a series of lethal strikes by the Donald Trump administration on vessels it says were involved in drug trafficking off the Venezuelan coast. At least two people believed to be nationals of Trinidad and Tobago were reportedly killed in one of the strikes — a development that has intensified regional concern.

“Save in respect of Trinidad and Tobago which reserved its position, Heads agreed on the following: They reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the Caribbean Region as a Zone of Peace and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict. ‘CARICOM remains willing to assist towards that objective,’” the CARICOM statement read.

No official reason was immediately given for Trinidad and Tobago’s decision to withhold endorsement of the position. The stance has drawn criticism at home from the Opposition and others calling for clarity from the prime minister. In a brief statement on Saturday, Opposition MP Stuart Young — a former national security minister — urged Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to address citizens about the strikes and the uncertainty they have caused, accusing her of being “in hiding.”

Persad-Bissessar has not issued additional public comments about the deaths of the two Trinidadians beyond earlier remarks in which she publicly praised the U.S. anti-narcotics campaign. In a statement after a previous strike in early September, she said: “I, along with most of the country, am happy that the US naval deployment is having success in their mission,” and added, “The slaughter of our people is fuelled by evil cartel traffickers. The pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense. I have no sympathy for traffickers; the US military should kill them all violently.” She also expressed support for U.S. forces, saying, “May God bless and protect the members of the US military who are engaged in the drug interdiction mission. Their efforts will save many lives in our country and the region.”

Regional leaders at the CARICOM meeting also reaffirmed their commitment to tackling narcotics trafficking and the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons, saying these threats to stability must be addressed through ongoing international cooperation and in keeping with international law. They emphasized dialogue and diplomacy as the preferred means to resolve disputes.

The divergence between Trinidad and Tobago and other CARICOM members highlights growing tensions in the region as leaders balance concerns about sovereignty, regional security, and the human costs of drug trafficking and interdiction efforts. For now, CARICOM says it remains willing to assist in pursuing peaceful, law-based solutions — even as questions linger about the recent U.S. strikes and their toll on Caribbean nationals.