Venezuela’s Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Alvaro Sanchez Cordero, has strongly criticized the recent US military strike on October 15, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of two Trinidadians and four others aboard a vessel allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking. Cordero described the incident as tragic but inevitable, citing the US government’s persistent disregard for international law. This marks the fifth such strike off Venezuela’s coast, bringing the death toll close to 30. Speaking at the University of the West Indies on October 16, Cordero emphasized Venezuela’s commitment to combating drug trafficking and refuted claims by US President Donald Trump that the country is a hub for narco-trafficking. He presented data showing that only 40% of Venezuela’s 90.64 million hectares of land is classified as drug-producing, and a 2025 UN report confirmed that the country is not a major drug trafficking route. Cordero highlighted Venezuela’s peaceful nature, stating that its 34 million citizens are focused on education, work, and enjoying life, not conflict. He accused the US of targeting Venezuela for its vast oil and gas reserves, the largest proven in the world. David Abdulah, an executive member of the Assembly of Caribbean People, also condemned the strike, calling it a war crime under the Geneva Convention. He urged Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to retract statements supporting the strikes and called for regional collaboration to maintain peace. Abdulah encouraged Caricom chair, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, to convene an emergency meeting to address the escalating tensions.