PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday warned Americans to stay away from U.S. government facilities in the twin-island nation.
It was a rare warning that came as tensions grow between the United States and Venezuela over deadly U.S. attacks in Caribbean waters against suspected drug traffickers.
Venezuela is located a few kilometers from Trinidad, where people in a community are mourning the disappearance of two local fishermen believed to have been killed in a US attack on Tuesday.
The alert is based on threats directed at U.S. citizens in the Caribbean nation, and U.S. officials say it “could be related” to ongoing tensions in the region, Trinidad and Tobago’s national security minister, Roger Alexander, told The Associated Press.
Trinidad and Tobago authorities have responded to the threats by implementing security measures to deal with any situation that may arise, Alexander said.
However, local authorities declined to share specific details about the reported threats.
With six attacks killing at least 28 people since early September, U.S. officials mentioned the tense situation in the region in a briefing with Trinidad and Tobago authorities, Alexander said.
Following the latest attack, the U.S. government detained survivors after the military attacked a ship suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean, officials said Friday.
The Trump administration has said it views suspected drug traffickers as illegal combatants who should be confronted by military force.