Miami, November 25, 2025 – Total News Agency-TNA – Growing tension between the United States and the regime of Nicolás Maduro added a new chapter this Tuesday with the arrival of the U.S. Chief of Staff, Dan Caine, in Trinidad and Tobago for an official visit that the U.S. government considers strategic in the geopolitical chessboard of the Caribbean.
Caine's presence in Trinidad and Tobago, in this context, is interpreted in the region as a clear signal that Washington not only seeks to reinforce alliances but also to position itself militarily amid the growing security crisis linked to the Chavista regime.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Trinidad and Tobago benefits “enormously” from its strategic alliance with Washington in the fight against arms, drug, and human trafficking, a statement that reflects the growing alignment of Port of Spain with the American security stance in the Caribbean.
Caracas's reaction was not long in coming. Washington highlights that the visit aims to “strengthen regional stability, deepen bilateral cooperation, and consolidate unity in the fight against illicit trafficking and transnational crime,” a formulation that reflects the growing priority the Department of Defense assigns to criminal routes operating in the Caribbean, many of them linked to networks associated with the Venezuelan regime.
The stop in Trinidad and Tobago is part of a broader tour of Latin America that recently took Caine to official activities in Puerto Rico. The expansion of these operations into the eastern Pacific showed that the U.S. strategy has moved beyond traditional routes.
In this context, various areas of security and intelligence in the Donald Trump administration point to Maduro and key figures of the Chavist apparatus as being responsible for directing—or at least protecting—these criminal networks.
Political and military pressure intensified to the point where the U.S. government enabled CIA operations within Venezuelan territory, without ruling out military options if the situation escalates further.
His arrival also comes just one day after the designation of the so-called Cartel of the Suns as a foreign terrorist organization took effect, a decision taken by the United States after years of complaints about alleged direct ties between that criminal structure and high-ranking civilian and military officials of Chavismo.
From the U.S. perspective, that designation not only establishes a more aggressive legal framework against criminal networks operating from Venezuela but also enables a range of direct actions in the Caribbean and beyond.
In recent days, this tense climate was compounded by the cancellation of multiple flights to Venezuela by European companies such as Iberia and Air Europa. The decision followed a warning from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), urging extreme caution due to potential interference and risks for aircraft flying over Venezuelan territory.
On Monday, the Venezuelan regime dismissed the Cartel of the Suns designation as a “ridiculous ruse,” insisting the criminal structure is “non-existent” and denouncing it as a pretext to justify a potential “illegitimate intervention.”
This pressure led Maduro to reinforce his personal security and significantly restrict his public appearances, according to sources from his political circle.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar sought to dispel rumors about any potential use of the Trinidadian territory as a platform for attacks against Venezuela.
The visit could mark a turning point in the operational coordination of the Western Caribbean, a strategic corridor that has become central in the dispute for influence between the United States and Venezuela.
In the last three years, Washington attributed to these operations against these organizations at least 21 operations resulting in 83 deaths, mainly in areas where vessels associated with drug and arms trafficking were detected.
The trip, announced by the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, occurs less than a week after joint military exercises between U.S. marines and local forces, and at a time of marked regional instability. According to the statement released by the diplomatic representation, Caine's agenda includes a direct meeting with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.