Venezuela Accuses Trinidad and Tobago and U.S. of Orchestrating “Military Provocation” in the Caribbean

The Government of Venezuela has accused Trinidad and Tobago of coordinating with the United States to carry out what it calls a “hostile military provocation” in the Caribbean aimed at destabilizing the region and provoking a confrontation with Caracas.

In a strongly worded statement issued over the weekend, Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry denounced the “military exercises” reportedly taking place between October 26 and 30 under the coordination of the U.S. Southern Command. Venezuelan authorities claim the operation is being conducted with the involvement and funding of the CIA, describing it as “a direct threat to peace and sovereignty in the Caribbean.”

According to Caracas, Venezuelan forces have detained a group of alleged mercenaries said to have “direct links” to U.S. intelligence operations. Officials assert that the group was planning a “false-flag” attack in waters near Trinidad and Tobago that would trigger a regional military response against Venezuela.

The statement draws parallels between the current situation and historical incidents such as the 1898 explosion of the USS Maine and the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin affair—events that led to U.S. military interventions in Cuba and Vietnam, respectively.

Venezuela sharply criticized Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, accusing her administration of “surrendering national sovereignty” by allowing its territory to be used as a “U.S. aircraft carrier for war throughout the Caribbean.” Caracas further argued that the exercises violate the United Nations Charter, the CELAC declaration of the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, and CARICOM’s principles of regional unity and non-aggression.

“This is not a defensive exercise; it is a colonial operation of aggression,” the statement read. “By aligning with Washington’s militarist agenda, the government of Trinidad and Tobago endangers the peace and stability of the entire region.”

The Venezuelan government also alleged that Trinidadian authorities have committed human rights violations at sea, citing incidents involving the deaths of local fishermen during security operations.

“Venezuela will not be intimidated,” the statement concluded, vowing that the Bolivarian National Armed Force remains on high alert to defend the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and right to live in peace.

Neither the Government of Trinidad and Tobago nor the U.S. Southern Command has yet issued a formal response to the allegations.