US lawmaker backs Persad-Bissessar’s criticism of CARICOM and Venezuela

US Congressman Carlos Gimenez, who represents Florida’s 28th Congressional District, has publicly endorsed Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her recent statements sharply criticising CARICOM and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Gimenez signalled his support in a post on X on Monday, quoting the Prime Minister’s remarks from the previous day in which she dismissed the Caribbean’s long-standing designation as a “zone of peace” as “fakery.”

“On behalf of the United States Congress, we stand with our dear friend and ally @PM_Kamla of Trinidad and Tobago for her staunch support of democracy and moral clarity against the illegitimate, terrorist narco-dictatorship in Venezuela,” Gimenez wrote.

His statement is among the few overt expressions of backing from a US lawmaker for Persad-Bissessar’s stance over the past four months, during which her administration has aligned itself with Washington’s policy toward Venezuela, including support for an expanded US military presence and maritime operations in the region.

Persad-Bissessar’s comments on Sunday night reinforced her government’s support for US pressure on Venezuela and its president, whose legitimacy she has not publicly recognised.

Trinidad and Tobago, a founding member of Caribbean Community, has historically played an influential role within the 20-member regional body. Traditionally, Port of Spain has supported CARICOM’s principle of maintaining the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and promoting dialogue and engagement as the preferred means of resolving disputes.

Earlier this year, however, as the United States increased its military presence in the region and continued maritime interdiction operations, Persad-Bissessar publicly distanced her government from the Zone of Peace concept during an address to the United Nations General Assembly. Trinidad and Tobago later reserved its position when CARICOM issued a statement reaffirming the principle.

In a post on her X account, Persad-Bissessar accused CARICOM of aligning itself with what she described as a “narco government” led by Maduro.

“Trinidad and Tobago wants no part of that alignment. We don’t support dictatorship and drug trafficking, and we don’t support CARICOM in their zone of peace fakery,” she wrote.

She further argued that Venezuela has for years threatened to invade Guyana, and claimed that since last June similar assertions had been made suggesting Trinidad and Tobago is part of Venezuela.

“Yet CARICOM has chosen to support the Maduro narco government through the fake zone of peace narrative, which is clearly designed to get the American military to leave the Caribbean region and therefore enable Maduro to remain as dictator in Venezuela,” Persad-Bissessar added.

Her remarks have intensified debate within the region over CARICOM’s collective foreign policy stance and the balance between regional diplomacy and alignment with US security priorities.