Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has firmly stated that her country will not be coerced or pressured by external forces, as she criticized certain Caribbean Community (Caricom) nations for aligning with Venezuela amidst escalating regional security concerns. Speaking during a live interview on the Crime Watch program with Ian Alleyne on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar accused some Caricom partners of prioritizing Venezuela over Trinidad and Tobago, labeling them as unreliable allies. She emphasized that no regional government or organization would dictate her administration’s security policies. This comes as the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat recently revealed that regional leaders had discussed security issues, including the military build-up in the Caribbean, though Trinidad and Tobago did not endorse the consensus. The U.S. has intensified its military presence in the Caribbean Sea, deploying a nuclear-powered submarine, reconnaissance aircraft, and destroyers to combat drug cartels, a move Trinidad and Tobago fully supports. Persad-Bissessar dismissed Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez’s claims that Trinidad and Tobago is collaborating with the U.S. to destabilize Venezuela, asserting that her government has not engaged in any energy-related negotiations with Caracas. She also denied plans to allow Trinidad and Tobago to serve as a base for attacks on Venezuela, while reaffirming her administration’s commitment to combating drug trafficking and transnational crime. The Prime Minister highlighted the country’s dire crime situation, including a rising murder rate, and announced that Parliament will vote on October 31 to potentially extend the state of emergency declared in July to address these challenges.