The U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago is cautioning Americans to stay away from American government facilities in the twin-island nation amid the growing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.
The alert is based on threats directed at American citizens in the Caribbean nation, with U.S. authorities saying “it could be linked” to ongoing tensions in the region, Trinidad and Tobago’s minister of homeland security, Roger Alexander, told The Associated Press.
The embassy didn’t specify why it issued the warning, saying only that, “due to a heightened state of alert, please avoid and refrain from visiting all U.S. government facilities through the holiday weekend,” as it urged people to “be aware of your surroundings.” Monday is a holiday to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights widely celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago, where 35% of its 1.4 million people identify as East Indian.
Venezuela is located just miles away from Trinidad, where people in one community are mourning the disappearance of two local fishermen believed killed in a U.S. strike on Tuesday.
Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela are at an all-time high over deadly U.S. strikes in Caribbean waters targeting suspected drug traffickers.
There have been six known boat attacks in the area since last month. The most recent, on Thursday, targeted a submarine carrying mostly fentanyl and other illegal narcotics, President Trump said on Saturday.
“Under my watch, the United States of America will not tolerate narcoterrorists trafficking illegal drugs, by land or by sea,” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post.
He said two survivors – from Ecuador and Colombia – will be repatriated for “detention and prosecution.”
At least 19 people have been killed in the six strikes.
Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have responded to the threats by implementing security measures to deal with any situations that may arise, Alexander said.
However, local authorities declined to share specific details about the reported threats.
The tense situation in the region was mentioned by U.S. officials in a briefing with authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, Alexander said.
The Trump administration has said it considers alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who must be met with military force.
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