OPPOSITION URGES PRIME MINISTER TO RETRACT 'RECKLESS' STATEMENT
Leader of the Opposition, Pennelope Beckles, strongly condemns Prime Minister Kamla Persad‑Bissessar’s recent WhatsApp statement endorsing a U.S. military strike that left 11 men dead, labelled as members of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua. The Opposition described the message, urging the U.S. to “kill them all violently”, as reckless, disgraceful, and inconsistent with the oath the Prime Minister has taken to uphold the Constitution and the law.
Opposition Leader Beckles further condemned the Prime Minister’s reliance on WhatsApp for such significant messaging, suggesting it avoids proper media scrutiny and undermines public clarity. This pattern, she argues, is deeply troubling, coming from the head of government. The statement has sparked regional unease. The AP reports that other Caribbean leaders, including Barbados’ Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds, have expressed concern over unilateral U.S. action and are calling for stronger diplomatic coordination within CARICOM.
Beckles questioned whether CARICOM was consulted before aligning publicly with U.S. military action, especially given the PM’s prior admission of “scant regard for CARICOM.” Beckles noted that while the Opposition supports strong and decisive action against drug trafficking, such measures must be lawful, coordinated, and in line with national values and international norms. The statement concluded with a demand for the PM to retract the inflammatory message, face the media, and provide comprehensive answers to the public.
