PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — In a defiant break from Caribbean unity, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has declared that her administration will unapologetically pursue a “Trinidad and Tobago First” doctrine over the next five years, aligning with U.S. military efforts in the region despite a widening rift within CARICOM.
The Prime Minister, elected under the United National Congress-led coalition in late April, dismissed criticism that her decision to support U.S. military asset deployment into the Caribbean undermines regional cohesion. In a nationally televised interview, she maintained her stance, asserting that her country has been left to bear the brunt of violent spillovers from Venezuela, without tangible support from its regional peers.
At the center of this political firestorm is a controversial U.S. mobilization: warships, reconnaissance aircraft, and a nuclear submarine have been deployed to the southern Caribbean to target transnational drug cartels. Persad-Bissessar welcomed the move, stating that “Trinidad and Tobago has been drowning in blood for decades” and that American force projection may be the only realistic deterrent to entrenched trafficking networks.
A Fractured Front
Persad-Bissessar’s declaration comes at a time when regional alignment is already under strain. Several CARICOM member states — including Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and St. Lucia — are signatories to the ALBA alliance and have publicly declared support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In a virtual summit last week, ALBA members condemned the U.S. military buildup, calling it a destabilizing provocation cloaked in anti-narcotic rhetoric.
The Prime Minister pushed back against this narrative, pointing to the mounting toll of gun violence and illegal migration in her own nation. “Thousands of our people have been killed in the last 25 years. Just yesterday, a 65-year-old retiree was raped — most likely by an illegal immigrant. Who speaks for her?” she asked, dismissing regional criticism as detached idealism.
Unilateral Resolve
Her critics — including former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley and members of her previous administration — have accused her of undermining CARICOM solidarity. She has fired back with allegations of hypocrisy. “Wasn’t Rowley the same CARICOM Chair who begged the U.S. to stem the gun flow into our borders? Wasn’t it CARICOM that declared gun violence a public health emergency? Now they balk when action is taken?”
Persad-Bissessar argued that every state has the sovereign right to protect its citizens, noting that regional consultations on security have largely yielded symbolic gestures and no measurable results. “CARICOM has not offered us the tools or the manpower to fight this war. But Washington has the capability. To align with that is not betrayal — it is defense,” she stated.
Foreign Policy Recalibrated
Signaling a dramatic shift in foreign affairs, Persad-Bissessar confirmed that her administration will evaluate all diplomatic decisions through the sole lens of domestic interest. She emphasized that Trinidad and Tobago’s financial resources, national security, and social cohesion will not be compromised for symbolic alignment with regional blocs.
In her words: “We are not obligated to mirror every CARICOM sentiment. If they disagree with the U.S. simply because it is led by Donald Trump, they should say so openly. But we will not allow political fashion to dictate our survival strategy.”
CARICOM: Silent, For Now
To date, CARICOM has made no formal comment on the U.S. military escalation or on Trinidad and Tobago’s independent stance. Analysts suggest the silence reflects both internal disagreement and the complexity of balancing sovereignty with collective diplomacy.
As the geopolitical heat rises, Port of Spain appears ready to weather the backlash — armed with a clear position, a determined leader, and a national doctrine that places its citizens first.
