Venezuela Alleges CIA-Backed Mercenary Plot Amid US-Trinidad Military Drills in Caribbean
Venezuela’s claim of a CIA-backed mercenary plot comes as US and Trinidad forces conduct joint military drills in the Caribbean, heightening regional tension and sparking diplomatic unease. Image courtesy: AI generated picture via DALL-E
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez on Sunday (October 26, 2025) alleged that the country’s security forces had captured a group of “mercenaries” planning to execute a “false flag” attack on behalf of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The claim comes as US and Trinidad and Tobago forces conduct joint military exercises in the Caribbean region, which Caracas has denounced as a provocation.
What did Venezuela accuse the US of?
Rodríguez accused Washington and Port of Spain of orchestrating a plan to trigger a military confrontation with Venezuela.
“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,” she said in an official statement.
However, the Venezuelan government did not provide any evidence or details to substantiate the accusations.
Why is this Venezuelan statement important?
The statement coincides with the arrival of the USS Gravely, a US guided-missile destroyer, in Trinidad and Tobago’s capital for what both nations have described as a cooperative training exercise.
The US Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz, said the drills aim to “address shared threats like transnational crime and build resilience through training, humanitarian missions, and security efforts.”
The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has also been repositioned closer to Venezuelan waters, prompting President Nicolas Maduro to accuse Washington of trying to provoke “a new eternal war” against his country.
How have tensions between Venezuela and US persisted?
Tensions between Caracas and Washington have escalated in recent months, especially after US President Donald Trump confirmed authorising CIA covert operations in Venezuela.
Trump has also accused Maduro of leading the organised crime group Tren de Aragua and warned that American counter-narcotics actions could soon extend into Venezuelan territory.
