Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC has accused CARICOM of failing to defend its own members, after Venezuela threatened both Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago in 2025.
Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the 50th Regular Meeting of CARICOM in St Kitts & Nevis on Tuesday evening, she criticised CARICOM nations, noting that despite “repeated threats” to both nations from Venezuela, there was “no voice from the Caribbean.”
“Despite repeated threats against two fellow CARICOM members from Venezuela, most of the CARICOM stood against the two, only two were threatened. One was Guyana, still under threat. I openly said that if they touch Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago will be there with you and stand with you. And the other was Trinidad and Tobago, we are threatened and we are still threatened by Venezuela.”
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar publicly accused CARICOM of going silent, at a moment she said demanded a clear, united regional response.
“So how can it be when that regime was threatening violence to two CARICOM member states, there was no voice from the CARICOM? We were talking about a zone of peace and in my respectful view, my country is not a zone of peace.”
Mrs. Persad-Bissessar also defended this country’s stance with the United States in dealing with narco-terrorism and transnational crime.
“Thanks to President Trump. Thanks to Secretary Rubio and the US military. I say thank you today for standing firm against narco-trafficking, human and arms smuggling originating from Venezuela. That is what we were facing in Trinidad and Tobago. Maybe some of you other islands in the Caribbean, your nations, do not have that level of illegal migration and, of course, the crime.”
While Caribbean nations were calling for a “Zone of Peace,” Mrs. Persad Bissessar said nothing was further from the truth in Trinidad and Tobago.
“We recorded 623 murders in one year, and 40% of those murders, they were gang related, driven by narcotics, by firearms from smuggling from Venezuela and gangs coming out of Venezuela and mingling and mixing with gangs in Trinidad.”
She told leaders the threats were severe enough that T&T had to act, partnering with the United States to disrupt Venezuelan-linked networks, which yielded positive results.
“Military action by the American military in the Caribbean caused, you know what happened in our country? Caused our murders rate to decrease by 42%. You know what that meant? There were 257 less murders in T&T.”
The Prime Minister affirmed that this country will not subordinate its security to regional politics.
“We respect the sovereign right of CARICOM members with respect to your choice for national security for your nation and respect your choice for foreign policy. Respect that sovereignty. And we expect no less from others.”
The Prime Minister said T&T’s security, sovereignty, and national interest will come first, whether or not CARICOM voices support.