Caribbean Review: Trinidad and Tobago In The Middle Of Rising Tensions
Chris Boland
Two Trinidad citizens, Rishi Samaroo and Chad Joseph, are believed to have been on a boat that the American military conducted an airstrike on as part of its anti-Venezuelan-narco-trafficking campaign. Trinidad officials are investigating to prove this, but residents in a north coast fishing village are convinced they were on the vessel. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has expressed strong support for American strikes and rising military presence in the region.
Trinidadian police are investigating reports that two citizens were among the six people killed in the fifth American strike of alleged Venezuelan drug vessels in the Caribbean Sea. President Trump announced the strike via Truth Social and claimed the vessel was traveling along a known terrorist organization’s route. Trinidadian police said they were aware of reported citizens being on the boat, but are waiting for information to be verified through official sources. Police also said that the northern village of Las Cuevas reported two Trinidadian fishermen believed to be on the vessel.
President Trump added that his administration is looking into potential land strikes against Venezuela. He also alleged Venezuelan President Maduro is the head of a drug cartel, a claim that Maduro denies.
The reports given to police have identified the deceased as local fishermen caught in the attack, but police are investigating and have not yet confirmed the reports to be accurate. Convinced family members seek transparency about their loved ones and how they ended up victims of American strikes.
Lenore Burnly, mother of Trinidadian fisherman Chad Joseph, claimed that family associates in Venezuela told them he was on the boat that was struck. She said her son was planning to return to Trinidad and Tobago after spending three months with family in Venezuela.
“According to maritime law, if you see a boat, you are supposed to stop the boat and intercept it, not just blow it up. That’s our Trinidadian maritime law, and I think every fisherman and every human knows that,” said Lenore. A similar critique is being stated by Trump’s opposition in Congress, claiming the airstrikes as unlawful and excessive force. Also, as an unnecessary move of aggression that is leading towards a regional war.
Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamal Persad-Bissessar has maintained support for fighting narcotics trafficking, but also claimed her government will not stay silent if innocent citizens are harmed.
Venezuelan-Trinidadian relations have soured greatly after Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar decided to aid the U.S. military. President Maduro announced on October 28, 2025, the end of an energy agreement with Trinidad and Tobago because of their assistance in American military operations in the region.
“Faced with Prime Minister Kamla Peras Bissessar’s threat to turn Trinidad and Tobago into the aircraft carrier of the U.S. empire against Venezuela, there is only one option left,” said Maduro. “I have approved the precautionary measure of immediately suspending all effects of the energy agreement and everything related to it.” He added that his government is reviewing the proposal for a final decision.
The agreement was signed in 2015 and essentially allows Trinidad and Tobago to jointly collect Venezuelan natural gas. The suspension is expected to cause huge issues for Trinidad and Tobago’s exports and production. Venezuela’s government has seen Trinidad and Tobago’s assistance to American operations as aggression towards Venezuela. The arrival of the USS Gravely in Trinidad and Tobago on October 26, 2025, as well as the agreement to conduct joint exercises with American troops, was the final straw.
As tensions rise between the United States and Venezuela in what many see to be a coming war, Trinidad’s cohesion with American forces has made them a target for Venezuela. The previous allies, who shared in trade and natural gas supply, have grown apart because of American attacks off the coast of Venezuela.
Locals in Trinidad and Tobago seek answers and justice if those fishermen were killed in an airstrike. The Prime Minister of Trinidad has stated that she wouldn’t stand for the killing of her citizens, but continues to embrace U.S. ships docking in Trinidad and Tobago. Most of the suspects of the Trump administration's airstrikes have been investigated and claimed to be innocent by the Venezuelan government and citizens, and there is less and less support that these attacks are actually targeted against narco-traffickers. Both domestically and internationally.
In the U.S., Congress continues to try to block Trump from ordering these attacks. Arguments have been presented that the boats shown in the videos do not seem to have enough fuel to reach the United States with alleged narcotics. As the Caribbean Sea becomes more and more dangerous, many nations around Venezuela have been finding themselves in between the powers, and in the case of Trinidad and Tobago, it is displayed how picking a side could impact a nation greatly. It will also show how the results of the investigation may sway public opinion in Trinidad and Tobago regarding the attacks.
