Kamla Persad-Bissessar Warns of Regional Threat, Rejects CARICOM’s Support for Maduro

A sharp diplomatic exchange has erupted within the Caribbean Community after Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused CARICOM of aligning itself with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom she described as a dictator presiding over a “narco government.”

In a strongly worded statement posted on social media on Sunday night, Persad-Bissessar said Trinidad and Tobago “wants no part of that alignment,” insisting her administration does not support dictatorship, drug trafficking, or what she termed CARICOM’s “zone of peace fakery.”

Her comments came amid mounting regional tensions over CARICOM’s engagement with Venezuela and recent criticisms from Antigua and Barbuda’s leadership. Persad-Bissessar directly referenced Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Ronald Sanders, suggesting they should focus less on her remarks and more on explaining to their citizens why their U.S. visas were restricted.

“CARICOM has chosen to support the Maduro narco government through the fake zone of peace narrative,” Persad-Bissessar wrote, arguing that the initiative is designed to encourage the withdrawal of the American military presence from the Caribbean, thereby enabling Maduro to remain in power.

She also raised security concerns, pointing to Venezuela’s long-standing territorial claims over Guyana and alleged threats made in recent months suggesting that Trinidad and Tobago is part of Venezuelan territory. According to Persad-Bissessar, these developments underscore why her government is unwilling to support what she views as CARICOM’s current posture toward Caracas.

“My priority is in the best interests of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago,” she said.

CARICOM leaders have previously defended their engagement with Venezuela, maintaining that dialogue and diplomacy are essential to preserving regional stability and avoiding military escalation, particularly in light of the Guyana–Venezuela border controversy.

Antigua and Barbuda has been among the most vocal advocates of this approach, with Browne repeatedly stressing the bloc’s commitment to peace, sovereignty, and non-intervention.

As of Monday, CARICOM had not issued an official collective response to Persad-Bissessar’s remarks, though regional observers say the comments risk deepening divisions within the bloc at a time when unity is being tested by geopolitical pressures, security concerns, and strained relations with major international partners.

The latest exchange highlights growing fractures within CARICOM over foreign policy alignment and security strategy, raising questions about how the regional body will navigate relations with Venezuela while maintaining cohesion among its member states.