PORT OF SPAIN, WILLEMSTAD – Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has strongly endorsed a U.S. military strike on a drug-laden vessel in the southern Caribbean, calling for traffickers to be “killed violently.” The strike, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, left 11 people dead.

Persad-Bissessar said the U.S. naval deployment was proving effective against cartels wreaking havoc across the region. “Our country has been ravaged by bloody violence and addiction because of the greed of the cartels,” she stated, adding that she has “no sympathy for traffickers.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated the vessel, which had departed Venezuela, was likely bound for Trinidad or other Caribbean destinations. He warned that similar operations “will happen again.”

Regional reaction

Caribbean leaders, however, voiced caution. Barbados Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds urged the U.S. to maintain open communication with Caricom to avoid surprises and preserve the Caribbean’s aspiration of being a “zone of peace.”

Meanwhile, Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized the U.S. action as excessive, arguing that interdictions can be carried out without killing those on board, many of whom are “very poor young people” rather than cartel leaders. Human Rights Watch also warned the strike could amount to an extrajudicial execution under international law.

Tren de Aragua presence

Trump said the targeted boat was linked to Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang that Trinidad and Tobago officially designated a terrorist organization in July. Authorities in Port of Spain confirm the gang is present in the country, though on a smaller scale compared to local groups, mainly involved in drug, weapons, and human trafficking.

The latest incident underscores the growing regional concerns about Venezuela-linked gangs using the Caribbean as a transit point for illicit activities, placing additional pressure on governments and U.S. allies in the region.