WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) — The Donald Trump administration has reaffirmed the strength of its partnership with the Trinidad and Tobago Government as tension rises between the United States (US) and Venezuela over the deployment of US military forces in the Caribbean Sea, allegedly to combat narco-trafficking.

US Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Piggott said that Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau spoke with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday “to reaffirm the strength of the US–Trinidad and Tobago partnership”.

“The deputy secretary commended Trinidad and Tobago as a strong US partner in the Caribbean,” said Piggott in a statement.

“He acknowledged Persad Bissessar’s public support for US military operations in the South Caribbean Sea and both our governments’ commitment to curbing illegal narcotics and firearms trafficking.

“The deputy secretary also emphasised the importance of establishing a UN (United Nations) Support Office for Haiti, with both leaders underscoring the need for further support to address insecurity and violence in Haiti,” Piggott added.

Last week, Prime Minister Persad Bissessar applauded Trump’s military build-up in the Caribbean Sea off Venezuela, as the US military struck an alleged drug boat, killing “11 terrorists”.

“I, along with most of the country, am happy that the US naval deployment is having success in their mission,” she said in a statement, adding, “The pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense.”

“I have no sympathy for traffickers; the US military should kill them all violently,” she declared.

Trump disclosed on his social media platform that he ordered US armed forces to strike a boat that he claimed was carrying alleged Tren de Aragua drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea.

“You had massive amounts of drugs. We have tapes of them speaking,” said Trump in Oval Office remarks on Wednesday. “It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people”.