Less than 24 hours after the announcement of a new counternarcotics task force in the Caribbean, the United States struck an alleged drug vessel killing six suspected “narco-terrorists” in the region’s territorial waters.
This is the ninth vessel that has been hit by US forces recently, killing several individuals allegedly including two Trinidadians.
The latest announcement was made by the US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on October 24, marking the latest operation in what US President Donald Trump has labelled as a counter-drug campaign in the region particularly against Venezuela.
The operation that has seen the deployment of several US military vessels in the region’s waters, has received the backing of Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar. However, CARICOM in a statement a week ago, reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the Caribbean Region as a “Zone of Peace” and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict.
The statement that was not endorsed by the Trinidadian leader spoke to the “unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region and the safety and livelihoods of the people of the region.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hegseth noted that the latest strike was the first to be carried out at night as part of the campaign that began in September.
While a roughly 20-second video has been released, which appeared to show the vessel before being hit by at least one projectile before exploding, no evidence was given as to what the vessel was carrying.
Since September, the US military has been increasing its presence in the Caribbean, including deployments of guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and thousands of troops.
The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper on October 23 reported that (another) United States Navy vessel was scheduled to arrive in Port of Spain on October 26.
The Ministry of CARICOM and Foreign Affairs in Trinidad and Tobago revealed that the 22nd US Marine Expeditionary Unit will conduct joint training with the TT Defence Force (TTDF) while in the Republic.
Reports indicate that the versatile US warship, with a crew of approximately 300 sailors, is capable of performing a range of missions, including anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare and is equipped with a five-inch cannon and vertical launching systems for missiles.
On October 24, the Secretary of Defense announced the Department of Defense’s formation of a Counternarcotics Task Force for the Caribbean, to be led by the US Marine Corps Second Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The Trump administration has focused intensely on what it says is countering criminal groups in Latin America and the Caribbean.
