Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar signalled a major foreign policy shift for Trinidad and Tobago telling regional leaders that the country will no longer bind its foreign and security policies with Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Speaking at the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Kitts and Nevis on February 24, Persad-Bissessar defended her government’s decision to reverse its stance on Venezuela and move closer to United States policy regarding the government of Nicolás Maduro.

Using the phrase “Who vex loss,” the prime minister addressed criticism from member states that expressed support for the Maduro administration, despite threats against Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

She also challenged repeated calls for the Caribbean to remain a zone of peace, questioning how that could be maintained when two of the region’s largest economies were being threatened by what she called a “narco dictator”.

“As a result of CARICOM’s unreliability in the above situation, Trinidad and Tobago’s Government will no longer bind itself to the political ideologies or foreign and security policies of CARICOM,” Persad-Bissessar said.

“Going forward, Trinidad and Tobago as an independent state will craft our foreign and security policies to defend our sovereignty as we see fit.”

Persad-Bissessar said closer cooperation with the United States to combat narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and arms trafficking originating from Venezuela has contributed to a decline in the country’s murder rate.

“In 2025, with a change of policy to treat with drug cartels and gangs as violent terrorist organisations, the military action by the American military in the Caribbean caused Trinidad and Tobago’s murder rate to decrease by 42 per cent or 257 murders,” she said.

The prime minister maintained that partnering with the United States was not meant to undermine the Caribbean but to defend it.

“Trinidad and Tobago will continue to cooperate with the US government in the best interests of our citizens to drive destabilising and destructive forces out of our region and hemisphere,” Persad-Bissessar added.

She thanked US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their support and firm stance narco-trafficking, human and arms smuggling.

Persad-Bissessar also criticised instances of CARICOM governments involving themselves in the domestic political affairs of fellow member states.

Persad-Bissessar said she was deeply hurt by what she observed during recent elections within the bloc.

“When, in the last election, you sent your missives, you sent your people from your party to openly campaign against another political party… I’m sorry I have to share this, but it hurt me a lot when I saw it transpired within the last set of elections in the Caricom,” she said.

She argued that regional cooperation must be grounded in mutual respect and non-interference.

“So Caricom governments, if we are to hug up each other and cooperate, it cannot be that last week you sent your person down to St Vincent or to Jamaica or to wherever, Guyana. You sent your political persons, not technocrats, you sent them down to campaign. I don’t think that is right because today I will have to face you,” Persad-Bissessar added.