Port of Spain, Trinidad – PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago warned Americans on Saturday to stay away from U.S. government facilities in the twin-island nation.
The unusual warning comes as tensions rise between the United States and Venezuela over deadly U.S. attacks targeting suspected drug traffickers in Caribbean waters.
The embassy did not specify the reason for the warning, saying only that “due to the heightened state of alert, please avoid visiting all U.S. government facilities over the holiday weekend” and urging people to “be aware of your surroundings.” Monday marks Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights widely celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago, where 35% of the country's 1.4 million people are East Indians.
Venezuela is just a few miles from the island of Trinidad, where people in a coastal community are mourning the disappearance of two local fishermen believed to have been killed in a U.S. attack on Tuesday.
Trinidad and Tobago Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander told The Associated Press that the alert was based on threats against U.S. citizens in the Caribbean country, which U.S. authorities said “may be related to ongoing tensions in the region.” However, local authorities declined to disclose specific details about the reported threats.
Alexander said authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have responded to the threat by implementing security measures to prepare for any eventuality.
Alexander said U.S. officials cited tensions in the region when briefing authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, where six attacks have killed at least 29 people since early September.
The U.S. government has detained survivors after the military attacked a suspected drug-trafficking ship in the Caribbean, officials said on Friday.
The Trump administration has said it considers the alleged drug traffickers to be illegal combatants who must be dealt with using force.