Venezuela has accused both Trinidad and Tobago and the United States of orchestrating a “military provocation” and plotting a CIA-backed “false flag” operation near its maritime borders. The allegations surfaced after the USS Gravely, a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer, arrived in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, for a series of joint Caribbean military exercises. Caracas claims the deployment represents a deliberate attempt to create conflict in the region.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announced that Venezuelan forces had allegedly apprehended a group of “mercenaries” who were reportedly carrying “classified information from the CIA” and were supposedly involved in plans to stage a “false flag” attack to justify military aggression against Venezuela. Rodríguez asserted that such an incident was being prepared either in waters shared by Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago or directly from their territories to provoke confrontation. However, the Venezuelan government provided no concrete evidence to support these claims.
In an official statement, Caracas condemned the ongoing U.S.-Trinidad joint military drills as a “serious regional threat” and described them as a “direct and hostile provocation.” The Venezuelan leadership accused Washington of trying to destabilise the Caribbean region and of using neighbouring nations to increase military pressure on Venezuela’s borders.
The USS Gravely’s arrival marks the latest in a series of U.S. naval activities near Venezuelan waters, following the earlier deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group. According to U.S. and Trinidadian officials, the current exercises are meant to address common security challenges, such as transnational crime, drug trafficking, and maritime instability. U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz stated that the operations were designed to “enhance cooperation, strengthen resilience, and promote humanitarian and security efforts across the Caribbean.”
A senior Trinidadian military source told the Associated Press that the docking of the warship was arranged only recently, while Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly backed the U.S. presence, describing it as part of regional anti-drug and security cooperation. Nevertheless, the visit has sparked controversy within Trinidad and Tobago. Protesters gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, denouncing the move as a provocation. David Abdulah, leader of the Movement for Social Justice, called the warship’s presence “an abomination,” warning that its proximity to Venezuela could “heighten tensions and invite unnecessary confrontation.”
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Trinidad and Tobago is a member, has since urged restraint and renewed dialogue between Washington, Caracas, and regional governments to prevent escalation. The bloc reiterated that peace and diplomatic engagement remain essential for stability in the Caribbean basin.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro sharply criticised the U.S. military build-up, accusing the Trump administration of seeking to “fabricate a new eternal war” against Venezuela under the guise of counter-narcotics operations. Earlier this month, Trump had confirmed that he authorised the CIA to carry out covert actions targeting the Maduro regime, while also alleging—without offering proof—that the Venezuelan president was linked to the international crime syndicate Tren de Aragua.
U.S. officials have simultaneously stepped up maritime patrols and targeted operations in both the Caribbean and Pacific, claiming they are aimed at curbing illegal drug trafficking and transnational criminal networks. However, critics in Latin America argue that these measures represent a return to interventionist policies that undermine regional sovereignty.
This latest accusation from Caracas continues a pattern of hostility between Venezuela and Washington. Maduro’s government has repeatedly accused the United States of orchestrating plots to destabilise his regime, including what it described as a foiled plan to detonate explosives at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas earlier in October. The U.S. State Department and the CIA have not issued any statements in response to the most recent allegations.
In the current climate, tensions across the Caribbean appear to be rising once again. The convergence of U.S. military operations, Venezuelan accusations, and regional unease underscores a fragile geopolitical balance, where any misstep could risk transforming rhetoric into open confrontation.
