The impact of a recent US military airstrike in the Caribbean that killed six people. Among the dead are Trinidadian fishermen from the picturesque fishing village of Las Cuevas, at the north of Trinidad. In striking that vessel, the Navy helped the Venezuelan government. In response to this action, international and local human rights groups have condemned the action and caused panic among local fishers.
The confrontation happened on a vessel that was allegedly behaving suspiciously and engaged in drug trafficking operations. The Trump administration first initiated this military operation as part of its never-ending “war on drugs.” They asserted that intelligence indicated that the ship had conducted narcotics trafficking on the high seas. Donald Trump described the dead as “narcoterrorists,” ramping up the illegality and controversy around the strike.
Among those who lost their lives were Chad “Charpo” Joseph and Rishi Samaroo, both from Las Cuevas. Family members expressed outrage over the loss, with one relative stating, “I just want to know why [Donald Trump] killing poor people just so.” In response to Trump’s actions, the families are suing him for violating their due process. They claim that the Trinidad government has not provided information regarding the conditions surrounding their loved ones’ deaths.
Through these actions, the Trump administration has established a pattern of militarily targeting those seeking to deliver humanitarian aid. These series of departures and interventions have left at least 27 dead in the diaspore of Venezuela. These attacks have been condemned by human rights observers, including UN experts, as extrajudicial killings. Juanita Goebertus Estrada, Americas director at Human Rights Watch added that these actions constitute a violation of international human rights law.
“The US is not engaged in an armed conflict with Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago or with alleged criminal groups involved.” – Juanita Goebertus Estrada
Goebertus Estrada further criticized the strikes, stating, “Under human rights law standards, officials engaging in law enforcement must seek to minimize injury and preserve human life.” She reminded them that lethal force may only be used when strictly unavoidable in order to protect against an imminent threat.
“In the different recent strikes conducted in the Caribbean, the US authorities made no effort to minimize harm and have not sought to demonstrate that the individuals aboard vessels posed any imminent threat to life.” – Juanita Goebertus Estrada
The effects of this military escalation have reached far beyond direct death tolls. In addition to that pain and suffering, today, local fishers in Las Cuevas are afraid to go west toward Venezuela and would rather stay near Trinidad’s coastline. This behavior change indicates an increasing discomfort with safety in their fishing practice.
David Abdulah, activist with the Assembly of Caribbean People David Abdulah criticized the Caribbean’s continued regional militarization. As long as he was around, he maintained that the Caribbean should remain a “zone of peace.” He called on its citizens to unite and not be drawn into war.
“The people of the Caribbean must stand firm against any attempt to drag us into war.” – David Abdulah
The wider implications of this airstrike, both for US foreign policy and the stability of such a volatile region, cannot be understated. Human rights advocates warn that these standoffs and military interventions create more instability, leading to more loss of life in the already vulnerable communities.