Caribbean Community leaders convened an emergency meeting early Saturday as shockwaves rippled across the region following the United States’ bombing of Venezuelan military installations and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, an action confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a statement issued after the emergency session, the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) said the region is “extremely concerned” about the rapidly evolving situation and its potential impact on Caribbean states bordering the oil- and gas-rich South American nation.

“CARICOM is actively monitoring the situation, which is of grave concern to the region, with possible implications for neighboring countries,” the bloc said, adding that updates would be provided as more information becomes available.

Concerns about regional stability were already mounting before the U.S. military action. Both Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago had warned of the possibility of a fresh influx of Venezuelan migrants, noting that more than 100,000 Venezuelans are already living between the two countries. Guyana shares a land border with Venezuela, while Trinidad lies just seven miles away across the Gulf of Paria.

As news of the strikes spread in the early hours of Saturday, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar moved quickly to distance her country from the operation. In a social media statement, she stressed that Trinidad and Tobago played no role in the U.S. military action and remains committed to peaceful relations with the Venezuelan people.

“Trinidad and Tobago is NOT a participant in any of these ongoing military operations,” Persad-Bissessar said, despite acknowledging past cooperation with the United States, including the use of radar facilities and military exercises in Tobago, arrangements that have previously drawn criticism from opposition parties. Washington has also reportedly asked Grenada to consider similar cooperation.

In Guyana, President Irfaan Ali convened an emergency meeting of senior military and security officials, announcing that the country’s full security apparatus had been activated. Guyana, long threatened by Venezuelan claims over its western Essequibo region, has openly supported U.S. actions aimed at countering the Maduro government.

As the crisis unfolds, Caribbean leaders are bracing for diplomatic, security, and humanitarian consequences that could reshape the region’s already fragile geopolitical landscape.

#CARICOM #CaribbeanNews #VenezuelaCrisis #Guyana #TrinidadAndTobago #RegionalSecurity #CaribbeanAffairs #BreakingNews #CaribbeanCommunity