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Caracas lashes out — accusing Trinidad and Tobago of aiding U.S. “false flag” plot as diplomatic crisis explodes across the Caribbean

CARACAS, VENEZUELA — The simmering tensions between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago erupted into a full-blown diplomatic firestorm tonight after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro launched a blistering personal attack on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, calling her a “lackey” of the United States and accusing her of “moral weakness.”

Maduro’s remarks came moments after Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announced that Caracas would move to suspend all gas agreements with Trinidad and Tobago, marking a stunning reversal in regional energy cooperation and a potential blow to Trinidad’s energy-dependent economy.

Speaking on Venezuelan State Television (VTV) during a highly charged national broadcast, Maduro accused Port of Spain of collaborating with Washington on what he described as a “false flag operation” aimed at destabilizing Venezuela and justifying U.S. military presence in the Caribbean.

“That’s what they intended with that ship they sent into Trinidad and Tobago,” Maduro declared, referring to the U.S. Navy warship USS Gravely currently docked in Trinidadian waters.
“Unfortunately, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is acting as a lackey and promoter of war — because of her own personal, physical, mental, and moral weaknesses.”

The Venezuelan strongman’s statement, aired live to millions, immediately sent shockwaves through Caribbean diplomatic circles, with analysts warning that relations between the two neighbours have reached their lowest point in decades.

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GAS DEALS COLLAPSE — REGIONAL ENERGY AT RISK

The Venezuelan Vice President’s earlier declaration of intent to suspend joint gas ventures and export agreements with Trinidad and Tobago signals a serious escalation. Those projects — once hailed as a model for regional energy cooperation — now appear frozen amid accusations, mistrust, and political theatre.

Industry experts say the suspension could undermine Trinidad’s natural gas supply chain and ripple through Caribbean energy markets already strained by global price volatility.

“This is not just rhetoric — it’s economic warfare disguised as diplomacy,” one regional energy analyst told Times Caribbean. “Venezuela’s suspension sends a clear message: you side with Washington, you lose access to Caracas’ resources.”

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MADURO’S ACCUSATION: A CIA “FALSE FLAG”

Throughout his televised address, Maduro reiterated claims that the Venezuelan government had uncovered a CIA-backed plot involving mercenaries allegedly operating from Caribbean territories — including Trinidad and Tobago.

According to Caracas, these operatives were allegedly planning a staged attack designed to implicate Venezuela in aggression against its neighbours, thereby legitimizing U.S. naval operations in the region.

The Venezuelan Defense Minister, General Vladimir Padrino López, earlier stoked controversy by suggesting that “Trinidad once belonged to Venezuelan territory”, a statement that has further inflamed nationalist rhetoric on both sides.

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TRINIDAD IN THE CROSSHAIRS

The docking of the USS Gravely in Port of Spain has been a flashpoint for days. While the Trinidad and Tobago government insists the ship’s visit is part of counter-narcotics cooperation with the United States, Caracas views it as a symbol of foreign intrusion and regional militarization.

The escalating rhetoric between Maduro and Persad-Bissessar now places CARICOM in a delicate position, as the regional bloc recently reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace.”

But with diplomatic hostility intensifying and energy interests at stake, that peace appears increasingly fragile.

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A REGION ON EDGE

The fallout from this confrontation could have wide-reaching implications for Caribbean unity, energy security, and geopolitical stability.

Maduro’s language — personal, aggressive, and unapologetic — represents a strategic shift from diplomacy to confrontation. His attack on Kamla Persad-Bissessar appears designed not only to discredit Port of Spain but to signal defiance against U.S. influence and intimidate smaller Caribbean nations into political alignment.

“This is no longer about energy or borders,” one senior Caribbean diplomat said. “It’s about power, loyalty, and survival in a region being pulled between two superpowers.”

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As Hurricane Melissa bears down on the northern Caribbean, another kind of storm — political and geopolitical — is already raging to the south.
With words sharper than missiles and alliances shifting like the wind, the Caribbean now stands at the edge of a new, unpredictable era.

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