Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Prime Minister endorses lethal strike on drug-smuggling vessel, while regional partners urge caution and diplomatic coordination
In Port‑of‑Spain, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad‑Bissessar, commended a recent U.S. military strike on a vessel suspected of smuggling narcotics and sharply asserted that all traffickers should be killed "violently".
U.S. President Donald Trump reported that eleven people aboard the vessel, believed to have departed from Venezuela, were killed in the operation.
The Prime Minister affirmed that the nation, deeply afflicted by cartel‑driven violence and addiction, supports the U.S. deployment and demands uncompromising action.
She stated, "I have no sympathy for traffickers; the U.S. military should kill them all violently," describing the cartels’ impact on her country as immense.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the suspected illicit cargo was likely destined for Trinidad or other Caribbean destinations.
The Prime Minister added that curbing drug, gun, and human trafficking would reduce regional violence, pointing to two recent states of emergency declared in Trinidad and Tobago.
However, neighboring leaders offered more measured responses.
Barbados’ Foreign Minister, Kerrie Symmonds, said that CARICOM—a fifteen‑member regional trade bloc—has urged the U.S. to enhance advance notification and diplomatic dialogue to prevent surprises in future operations and preserve regional confidence.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro questioned the strike’s approach, arguing that intercepting traffickers without lethal force—especially the young and poor—remains feasible.
He described the attack as a potential breach of the international principle of proportionality in the use of force.
The vessel was identified by Washington as operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a group previously designated as a terrorist organization by Trinidad and Tobago.
U.S. officials remain unclear on how they confirmed the passengers' gang affiliation.
The operation followed an earlier U.S. announcement to increase naval presence off Venezuela to counter Latin American drug cartels.
With the city still reeling from cartel violence, the Prime Minister's forceful rhetoric underscores her firm stance.
Yet the divergence in regional response—ranging from enthusiastic approval to cautious critique—highlights the diplomatic challenges accompanying unilateral military interventions in the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump reported that eleven people aboard the vessel, believed to have departed from Venezuela, were killed in the operation.
The Prime Minister affirmed that the nation, deeply afflicted by cartel‑driven violence and addiction, supports the U.S. deployment and demands uncompromising action.
She stated, "I have no sympathy for traffickers; the U.S. military should kill them all violently," describing the cartels’ impact on her country as immense.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the suspected illicit cargo was likely destined for Trinidad or other Caribbean destinations.
The Prime Minister added that curbing drug, gun, and human trafficking would reduce regional violence, pointing to two recent states of emergency declared in Trinidad and Tobago.
However, neighboring leaders offered more measured responses.
Barbados’ Foreign Minister, Kerrie Symmonds, said that CARICOM—a fifteen‑member regional trade bloc—has urged the U.S. to enhance advance notification and diplomatic dialogue to prevent surprises in future operations and preserve regional confidence.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro questioned the strike’s approach, arguing that intercepting traffickers without lethal force—especially the young and poor—remains feasible.
He described the attack as a potential breach of the international principle of proportionality in the use of force.
The vessel was identified by Washington as operated by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a group previously designated as a terrorist organization by Trinidad and Tobago.
U.S. officials remain unclear on how they confirmed the passengers' gang affiliation.
The operation followed an earlier U.S. announcement to increase naval presence off Venezuela to counter Latin American drug cartels.
With the city still reeling from cartel violence, the Prime Minister's forceful rhetoric underscores her firm stance.
Yet the divergence in regional response—ranging from enthusiastic approval to cautious critique—highlights the diplomatic challenges accompanying unilateral military interventions in the region.
