The USS Gravely destroyer arrives to dock for military exercises in Port-of-Spain
PORT OF SPAIN, T&T – The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is under severe pressure after receiving a formal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request demanding immediate disclosure of sensitive details regarding US military and intelligence operations in the Caribbean. The request grants the administration a strict 30-day deadline to comply.
The FOIA filing represents the most direct challenge yet to the administration’s silence over foreign action within its national security sphere.
The demand focuses on two critical, undisclosed activities: The government must reveal all information in its possession concerning lethal US military strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean Sea. Crucially, the request seeks to confirm how many Trinidad and Tobago nationals have been killed in these operations, which have reportedly caused dozens of fatalities in recent months. The continued lack of official confirmation on T&T casualties has fueled national outrage and calls for justice.
Also at stake is the transparency of foreign intelligence in T&T. The request forces the disclosure of any existing presence of agents from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) operating within the country’s borders. While DEA cooperation is expected, the confirmation of covert CIA involvement—particularly if linked to the recent maritime strikes—would trigger a major diplomatic reckoning over T&T’s political and military autonomy.
Failure to provide the records within the 30-day window will likely lead to legal action, making the next month a definitive test of the government’s commitment to national sovereignty and public accountability.