Trinidad and Tobago Raises Military Alert Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

Trinidad and Tobago placed its military on high alert Friday, recalling all personnel to bases as tensions between the United States and Venezuela intensified following a series of U.S. airstrikes in the Caribbean. The nation’s armed forces were ordered into “STATE ONE ALERT LEVEL,” with troops instructed to report to their posts, according to an army message obtained by AFP. Police also restricted all leave for military staff pending further notice.

The alert triggered panic in Port of Spain, where residents rushed to purchase food and fuel, as reported by AFP correspondents. Officials urged calm, stating the government was in “active contact with the Embassy of the United States of America in Port of Spain.”

The mobilization comes after U.S. forces conducted airstrikes on at least 15 suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in 62 deaths. Washington has deployed a significant military presence, including eight Navy ships, F-35 warplanes in Puerto Rico, and an aircraft carrier strike group en route to the region.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the U.S. of using drug trafficking as a pretext for “imposing regime change” to seize Venezuelan oil. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump denied considering strikes against Venezuela, stating, “No,” when asked about such reports aboard Air Force One. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also dismissed claims of an impending attack, criticizing a Miami Herald article suggesting U.S. forces were poised to strike Venezuela.