Caribbean Drug Cartel Crackdown: A Surge in Tensions

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has expressed firm support for a recent US military strike on a boat suspected of drug trafficking in the southern Caribbean.

President Donald Trump announced that 11 people aboard, alleged to be members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang, were killed. The operation, praised for its potential to curb cartel activity, has not been without controversy. Some Caribbean leaders, like Barbadian Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds, are advocating for more transparent communication before military actions affecting the region.

The incident is part of a broader US initiative to ramp up maritime enforcement near Venezuela, aiming to dismantle drug cartels. Meanwhile, the Trinidadian leader emphasized the need for aggressive measures to mitigate violence and trafficking across the Caribbean.

(With inputs from agencies.)