VENEZUELA has condemned the arrival of a US warship in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, calling it a dangerous “provocation” amid fears Washington could be preparing a mainland invasion.
The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, docked in Port of Spain for a four-day visit that will include joint training exercises with local defence forces.
The Gravely’s visit follows the recent deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford to the same region.Credit: EPA
Nicolás Maduro has described the deployment as a plot to oust him from powerCredit: AFP
According to officials from both countries, the vessel will remain until Thursday.
Trinidad and Tobago, a long-standing ally of the United States, lies just 6.8 miles off the coast of Venezuela.
Such proximity has only heightened tensions between Caracas and Washington.
The Gravely’s visit follows the recent deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, one of the world’s largest aircraft carriers, to the same region.
Both ships form part of a broader campaign launched by US President Donald Trump against alleged Latin American drug traffickers.
So far, the US operation has been limited to maritime strikes, with forces claiming to have destroyed at least 10 boats suspected of smuggling narcotics and killing 43 people since September.
But Trump has hinted that the campaign could soon move onto land.
This is a possibility that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has described as a plot to oust him from power.
Analysts have suggested that this show of force represents a modern extension of the Monroe Doctrine – now rebranded as the so-called “.”
The alludes to the 19th-century U.S. policy that justified intervention throughout the Americas under the pretext of protecting regional stability and American interests.
Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab, a close ally of Maduro, said there was “no doubt” that Trump is attempting to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
“Trump wants to turn Venezuela into a colony of the UK,” Saab claimed.
When asked about the risk of a land invasion, he said: “It shouldn’t happen, but we are prepared.”
Despite this, Saab insisted that Venezuela remains open to diplomacy, adding the country was “still ready to resume dialogue” with the US, despite what he described as its “illegitimate fight against drug trafficking.”
Trinidad and Tobago has become a key hub in the Caribbean drug tradeCredit: EPA
In a statement, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez accused Trinidad and Tobago of coordinating with the CIA in a “military provocation aimed at provoking a war in the Caribbean.”
Venezuelan authorities said they had recently arrested a group of mercenaries allegedly connected to the CIA, just days after Trump authorised covert security operations.
They further alleged that “a false flag attack is under way,” though no details were provided.
A “false flag” refers to an operation designed to make one party appear responsible for an act carried out by another.
Caracas has made similar accusations before – most recently in October, when it claimed the US planned to plant explosives in its embassy in Caracas.
Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, a vocal critic of Maduro, defended the US destroyer’s visit.
She said the USS Gravely’s presence “aims to bolster the fight against transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian activities, and security cooperation.”
She added that Trinidad and Tobago values its relationship “with the people of Venezuela” and remains committed to “the creation of a safer, stronger and more prosperous region.”
Caracas, however, has accused Trinidad of effectively serving as a “US aircraft carrier” in the Caribbean.
Trinidad and Tobago has become a key hub in the Caribbean drug trade, and several of its nationals have already been caught up in the US campaign.
Two Trinidadian men were reportedly killed in a US strike on a vessel that had departed from Venezuela in mid-October.
Their families claim the men were fishermen, not smugglers, though local authorities have yet to confirm their deaths.
Some residents fear that growing tensions could drag their nation into conflict.
“If anything should happen with Venezuela and America, we as people who live on the outskirts of it… could end up getting a lash any time,” said 64-year-old Daniel Holder.
“I am against my country being part of this.”
The United States is among several nations that refuse to recognise Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president
This follows elections in 2024 that were widely dismissed as neither free nor fair.
According to Saab, Washington’s true goal is regime change to seize Venezuela’s natural resources, including gold, oil, and copper.
Members of the US Congress – from both parties – have questioned the legality of Trump’s military strikes and whether he has the authority to order them.
Trump, meanwhile, has labelled Maduro “the leader of an organised crime gang,” though he has not provided evidence to support the claim.
The vessel will remain in the Port of Spain until Thursday.Credit: Reuters
Members of the US Congress have questioned the legality of Trump’s actionsCredit: Reuters What is the Donroe Doctrine?
- The Donroe Doctrine is a modern take on the Monroe Doctrine (1823) which declared that the Americas were off-limits to new European colonisation.
- It warned European powers not interfere in the Western Hemisphere.
- In return, the US promised not to meddle in European affairs.
- The policy aimed to protect newly independent Latin American nations.
- It later became a cornerstone of US influence in the Americas.
