PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – The Trinidad and Tobago government Saturday said it fully supports the decision of the United States to deploy “military assets” into the Caribbean region to destroy what it described as “the terrorist drug cartels”.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar in a statement also indicated that Port of Spain has “not engaged and has no intention of engaging” the 15-member regional integration grouping CARICOM “on this matter”.

The government said that on this matter, each CARICOM member state “can speak for themselves” and that “Trinidad and Tobago has been helplessly drowning in blood and violence for the last 20 years”.

Prime Minister Persad Bissessar also said that she wanted to “make it very clear” that if the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela “launches any attack against the Guyanese people or invades Guyanese territory and a request is made by the American Government for access to Trinidadian territory to defend the people of Guyana, my government will unflinchingly provide them that access,” she said.

“May good sense and peace prevail,” she added.

In the statement, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar said that that “due to drug, human and firearms trafficking, Caribbean countries, and in particular Trinidad and Tobago have experienced massive spikes in transnational crime, gang activity, murders, violence and financial crimes”.

On Friday, the Guyana government said it viewed with “grave concern the threat to peace and security in the region” posed by transnational organised crime and narco- terrorism.

In a statement, Georgetown said that these activities often involving criminal networks such as the Cartel de los Soles of Venezuela, designated as a terrorist organisation by some countries in the region.

“We are committed to working with our bilateral partners to find meaningful solutions and will support regional and global initiatives aimed at dismantling criminal networks to safeguard our shared security.

“By confronting transnational organised crime and narco- terrorism with unity, we reaffirm our dedication to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the region remains a Zone of Peace,” Georgetown said.

Earlier this week, the United States ordered an amphibious squadron to the southern Caribbean as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.

A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser are also being allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission.

In her statement, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar government said that most Caribbean countries and in particular Trinidad and Tobago have been dealing with out-of-control crime for the last 20 years and that “small island states like ours simply do not have the financial and military resources to take on the drug cartels.

“Cartels have been enabled to embed themselves into the high echelons of Caribbean societies, thereby exhibiting significant influence in political, legislative, media, banking, security and economic decisions, often rendering governments toothless to enact actual change to stop criminal activity.”

The Trinidad and Tobago government said that record murder rates, gang activity, drug addictions, violent crime and increasing poverty throughout the Caribbean and especially in our country certainly do not paint a peaceful existence.

“Therefore, it is shocking to hear some persons using referrals to the Caribbean region as a zone of peace to push negative commentary on the US military deployment against these terrorist cartels.

“The only persons who should be worried about the activity of the US military are those engaged in or enabling criminal activity. Law abiding citizens have nothing to fear. Despite the misinformation being peddled, the US military is operating legally in international waters within the region and have not breached any nations sovereignty.”

It said that US Vice President James D Vance “spoke the truth when he mentioned our high murder and crime rates.

“Therefore, no amount of Trump derangement syndrome tantrums and anti-American propaganda will prevent my government from welcoming assistance to combat the terrorist drug cartels. Other CARICOM countries are free to make their decisions based on the best interests of their citizens.”

The government said that no requests have ever been made by the United States government “for their military assets to access Trinidadian territory for any military action against the Venezuelan regime.

“Trinidad and Tobago has always had good relations with the Venezuelan people and that will continue.

Earlier this week, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America–Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) at an extraordinary summit voiced support for Venezuela.

The virtual meeting, hosted from Caracas, brought together heads of state and representatives from Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Grenada, and St. Lucia. Honduras participated as a guest.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the deployment of US naval and air assets under the command of Southern Command represented “a strategic move” beyond counter-narcotics, warning it could destabilize regional peace.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro described the alliance as “an alliance of warriors for peace” and thanked ALBA members for their solidarity.

The summit declaration rejected what it called “false pretexts” for foreign intervention and reaffirmed support for Venezuela’s sovereignty. The statement also urged the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to convene an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers in response to the situation.

CARICOM has not issued any statement regarding the presence of the US warships in the region, but former Trinidad and Tobago prime minister Dr. Keith Rowley in a post on his Facebook page said “as the US armada sails in our direction, The government of Trinidad and Tobago is being tested here. We hope that, given our nation and CARICOM ‘s commitment to our region being defended as a Zone of Peace , that our leaders will not be found wanting”

He said that the present government, while in opposition had “actively and consistently undermined Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM diplomatic initiatives to stave off regime change through force.

“They condemned our approach to the United Nations where we led the charge for multilateralism and the respect for the UN Charter. They dismissed our diplomatic initiatives with Mexico, Norway, South Africa, the African Union and Uruguay. They openly supported the implanting of President Guaido by US/ Canada and Europe.”

Rowley said that the then opposition, now in government had “shamelessly wrote and called for US sanctions against Trinidad and Tobago Ministers” including himself and the energy minister Stuart Young.

Rowley said that “this adventurous military excursion into our “zone of peace”, is the latest of that suite of policies. Now that the chickens are coming home to roost, The question for the people of Trinidad and Tobago is whether it is better to follow unpatriotic Opposition folly or maintain sovereignty and diplomatic self interest in Government.

“We await to see if our government has pip or if they have a functioning tongue,” Rowley added.