Trump 'provoking a war in Caribbean'? Venezuela slams US exercises in Trinidad, claims arrest of CIA-backed mercenaries

Venezuela on Sunday (Oct 26) accused the United States and Trinidad and Tobago of "military provocation" after a US warship docked in Port of Spain for joint drills, an arrival Caracas called a step toward "provoking war" in the region. The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, arrived in the Trinidadian capital for a four-day visit as part of Washington’s anti-drug operations in Latin America. The ship’s presence comes amid a broader campaign ordered by US President Donald Trump, who in recent days has threatened to take action against "narco-traffickers" on land.

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Venezuelan officials, as per reports, see Trump's campaign as a cover for regime-change operations. In a statement, the nation angrily denounced "the military provocation of Trinidad and Tobago, in coordination with the CIA, aimed at provoking a war in the Caribbean."

Caracas also said it had arrested "a group of mercenaries" allegedly backed by the CIA who were plotting a "false flag attack" to trigger conflict in the Caribbean. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez claimed the group was captured in waters near Trinidad and Tobago, accusing Washington and Port of Spain of military confrontation." However, she offered no evidence of the alleged plot.

The accusations came days after Trump said he had authorised covert CIA operations that apparently target Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whose re-election Washington considers fraudulent.

The Pentagon last week ordered the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the region. Since September, US forces have destroyed at least ten boats accused of smuggling narcotics, killing more than 40 people, according to AFP.

Venezuela slams Trinidad

Caracas also lashed out at Trinidad's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar — a vocal critic of Maduro — of turning her country into "a US aircraft carrier." The twin-island nation, located just 11 km from Venezuela’s coast, has supported Washington’s regional anti-drug campaign.