Venezuela Condemns Alleged Military Provocation by US and Trinidad, Claims False Flag Attack

In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic tensions, Venezuela has accused Trinidad and Tobago of collaborating with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to orchestrate what it calls a “military provocation” designed to trigger a confrontation between the neighboring countries. The accusation came Sunday as the USS Gravely, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, docked in Trinidad and Tobago’s capital, Port of Spain.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez claimed security forces had “captured a group of mercenaries” allegedly carrying “direct information from the American intelligence agency” who were tasked with executing a “false flag” attack in the Caribbean region.

“A false flag attack is underway in waters bordering Trinidad and Tobago or from Trinidadian or Venezuelan territory to generate a full military confrontation with our country,” Rodríguez said in an official statement. The Venezuelan government, however, did not provide evidence or additional details to substantiate these serious claims.

Caracas has characterized the ongoing joint military exercises between the U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago as a “serious threat” to Caribbean stability and a “hostile provocation” toward Venezuela.

The arrival of the USS Gravely in Port of Spain marks the latest in a series of U.S. naval deployments to the region. The destroyer will conduct several days of training operations with Trinidad and Tobago’s armed forces. This follows the movement of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier group, which has been positioning closer to Venezuelan waters as part of increased U.S. naval activity in the Caribbean.

Officials from both the U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago have framed these exercises as collaborative efforts to address regional security challenges. “These exercises aim to address shared threats like transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian missions, and security efforts,” explained U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz.

A senior military official from Trinidad and Tobago told reporters that the U.S. warship’s visit was scheduled relatively recently. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly supported the American military presence and its anti-narcotics operations near Venezuela’s coast.

The increased military cooperation has sparked domestic criticism in Trinidad and Tobago. At a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, David Abdulah, who leads the Movement for Social Justice party, condemned the warship’s presence as “an abomination,” stating, “This is a warship in Trinidad, anchored here for several days just miles off Venezuela when there’s a threat of war.”

Caricom, the regional Caribbean community that includes Trinidad and Tobago, has urged dialogue to prevent further escalation of tensions in the region.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been vocal in his opposition to the U.S. naval buildup, characterizing it as part of a Trump administration strategy to “fabricate a new eternal war” against his country. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged authorizing CIA covert operations in Venezuela and accused Maduro of leading the organized crime group Tren de Aragua, though he provided no supporting evidence for this claim.

The U.S. has recently conducted several maritime operations against vessels it claims were trafficking drugs in both the Caribbean and Pacific, describing these actions as elements of a broader strategy to combat regional organized crime networks.

This is not the first time Maduro has alleged U.S. involvement in “false flag” operations. Earlier in October, he claimed Washington was plotting to plant explosives at the U.S. embassy in Caracas. Neither the U.S. State Department nor the CIA has issued a response to Venezuela’s latest accusations.

The tensions occur against a backdrop of longstanding diplomatic strain between Venezuela and the United States, which has intensified economic sanctions against the Maduro government in recent years. Venezuela’s economy has been in severe crisis, with hyperinflation and shortages of basic necessities triggering a massive exodus of Venezuelans to neighboring countries and beyond.

Regional security experts warn that the increased military presence and heated rhetoric could potentially destabilize the Caribbean basin further if diplomatic solutions aren’t prioritized by all parties involved.