T&T government denies role in visa revocation of US critic

The Trinidad and Tobago Government has moved quickly to separate itself from the United States decision to cancel the travel visa of Gary Aboud, the corporate secretary of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea. Aboud said he received formal notice from the US Embassy in Port of Spain that his B1 B2 visa had been prudentially revoked after officials reviewed new information suggesting he might be inadmissible to the country.

The long standing environmental advocate, known for publicly criticising an expanded US naval presence close to Venezuela, said his organisation has spent twenty-eight years defending coastal communities and promoting fairness, sustainable practices and accountability. He claimed the move signals a worrying trend in which civil society voices are being stifled and warned that independent groups are fundamental to ensuring transparency in public life.

FFOS said it supports Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar in lawful efforts to curb drug and arms smuggling but insisted it will not endorse unlawful killings. Aboud maintained that the US decision reflects an attempt to suppress dissent and accused authorities of ignoring the dangers posed by extrajudicial actions.

Persad Bissessar rejected any suggestion that her administration influenced the visa decision. In a statement posted on X, she said visa and immigration matters fall entirely under the authority of the United States and must be addressed with American officials. She dismissed Aboud’s allegation that nongovernmental organisations are under threat, describing the claim as reckless and likely to fuel unnecessary alarm. The prime minister said her government remains committed to free expression and underscored that even sharp political criticism is allowed without state interference.

She argued that the country’s most immediate danger comes from transnational criminal groups involved in guns, drugs and human trafficking. Persad Bissessar, who has repeatedly taken a hard line on the narcotics trade, said violent offenders must be confronted decisively and praised international cooperation in tackling illicit networks.

The prime minister also credited the expanded US military activity in the Caribbean for reducing illegal flows into Trinidad and Tobago. Washington’s deployment includes naval vessels, reconnaissance aircraft, marines and the Gerald Ford carrier. These operations have drawn global scrutiny, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemning US airstrikes on vessels in international waters and urging their suspension.

Regional leaders have also expressed unease. The CARICOM Secretariat noted that governments discussed the growing military presence and its implications, though Trinidad and Tobago did not endorse the position issued by the bloc.

Aboud said FFOS opposes extrajudicial killings and argued that the strikes on Venezuelan boats constitute unlawful deaths disguised as anti narcotics missions. He cited the United Nations and Human Rights Watch, both of which criticised the actions, and questioned why the prime minister supported violent measures while declining to address the deaths of two Trinidadians in the incidents

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