Venezuela has sharply escalated its war of words with neighboring Trinidad and Tobago, accusing the twin-island nation of supporting U.S. military operations in the Caribbean and announcing a new military campaign to crack down on smuggling and alleged criminal activity along their shared maritime border.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said Sunday that Operation Cumanagoto 200 is now underway in the eastern state bordering the Caribbean Sea, with 60 military units deployed across 15 municipalities to conduct reconnaissance and root out “terrorist groups or drug trafficking organizations” operating illegally in the region.
“There’s a lot of smuggling of fuel, weapons, ammunition, and human trafficking along the axis between Macuro, La Punta, Paria Promontory and Trinidad and Tobago,” Padrino said. “This is an order from our commander-in-chief … to ensure Operation Cumanagoto 200 is carried out in the eastern Caribbean.”
The move follows public statements by Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, who recently voiced support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy military warships in the Caribbean, describing the action as a necessary step to combat drug trafficking. Persad Bissessar also said her country would be willing to allow U.S. forces to operate from Trinidad and Tobago if Venezuela were to invade Guyana, a fellow Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member.
The remarks have drawn fierce condemnation from Caracas. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez last week ridiculed comments by Trinidad and Tobago’s junior minister Phillip Edward Alexander, who speculated that India might “nuke” Venezuela to protect the island nation. In a scathing Facebook post, Rodríguez accused Trinidad and Tobago’s government of bowing to Washington and urged it to focus on domestic issues rather than “plans to exploit Venezuela’s resources.”
The tensions come as the U.S. military continues operations in the Caribbean, with Trump claiming American forces have bombed three vessels allegedly carrying drugs, killing more than 14 people. Venezuela has called on the United Nations to investigate what it describes as “serial executions” of Venezuelans during the U.S. missions.
Padrino warned that any attack on Venezuelan territory would be met with a forceful military response, underscoring the region’s growing volatility amid heightened geopolitical friction.
