Venezuela on Sunday accused the United States and neighboring Trinidad and Tobago of staging a “military provocation” in the Caribbean, claiming the two countries were coordinating efforts through the CIA to trigger an armed confrontation with President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
In a statement released by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, Caracas said it had captured “a group of mercenaries with direct information of the American intelligence agency” allegedly tasked with carrying out a false-flag operation in waters bordering the two nations.
The Venezuelan government said the plot aimed to simulate an attack to justify a broader military escalation.
“A false flag attack is underway in waters bordering Trinidad and Tobago or from Trinidadian or Venezuelan territory to generate a full military confrontation with our country,” the statement read. No additional evidence or details were provided to substantiate the claim.
The accusations come as joint U.S.–Trinidad and Tobago military exercises take place in the Caribbean, operations that Venezuelan officials say threaten regional stability. Trinidad and Tobago’s government has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed reports that he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Maduro has repeatedly accused the U.S. of plotting regime-change operations and has previously claimed that American intelligence agencies planned to stage attacks, including a supposed plot to bomb the U.S. embassy in Caracas in early October.
Neither the U.S. State Department nor the CIA immediately commented on the latest Venezuelan accusations.
The dispute unfolds amid a broader U.S. military buildup in the region. On Friday, the Pentagon deployed the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group to the Caribbean as part of President Trump’s expanded counter-narcotics operations, which have included strikes on vessels Washington claims are linked to drug trafficking.
Analysts say the Venezuelan government’s latest statement reflects its ongoing effort to frame U.S. and regional military activities as acts of aggression, as Washington continues to pressure Maduro to restore democratic governance and hold free elections.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
