Trinidad and Tobago Welcomes US Warship Amidst Regional Concerns
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – A United States warship, the USS Gravely, arrived in Trinidad and Tobago’s capital on Sunday, signaling continued US attention to the situation in neighboring Venezuela. The move comes as the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier also nears Venezuelan waters.
While Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has criticized the US military presence, calling it a prelude to conflict, officials in Trinidad and Tobago and the US emphasize the visit is for joint training exercises. These exercises, they say, are aimed at addressing common threats like international crime and improving security cooperation.
A high-ranking military official in Trinidad and Tobago mentioned that the joint exercises were recently planned.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, has openly supported the US military presence and actions against suspected illegal activities in the waters near Venezuela.
The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago stated the exercises aim to “address shared threats like transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian missions, and security efforts.”
The arrival of the warship follows a recent warning from the US Embassy to American citizens in Trinidad and Tobago, advising them to avoid US government facilities due to a reported threat.
Not everyone in Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the US warship. Some, like David Abdulah, leader of the Movement for Social Justice political party, have voiced concerns about the presence of a warship so close to Venezuela during a time of heightened tension.
Caricom, a group of 15 Caribbean nations, is urging dialogue to resolve the situation. While Trinidad and Tobago is a member, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has stated that the region faces security challenges, pointing to high levels of crime.
