The Trinidad and Tobago government has sought to distance itself from a decision taken by the United States to revoke the visa of the corporate secretary of the non-governmental organisation, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS), Gary Aboud.
Aboud said he had received the information from the United States Embassy here, that his B1/B2 Visa for travel to the United States had been prudentially revoked.
“This email is considered official notification of that revocation,” it stated, adding that the action is “based on the fact” that additional information became available after the visa was issued indicating that Aboud may be “inadmissible” to the United States and there ineligible to receive a visa.
Aboud, who has been critical of the US naval presence near Venezuela in recent weeks, said for 28 years, FFOS has championed equity, justice, sustainable development, and the protection of vulnerable grassroots and coastal communities.
“Today, however, we face an alarming reality: NGOs are being silenced. NGOs are not enemies of the State; we are a critical pillar of any functioning democracy. Without an independent civil society holding power to account, there can be no transparency, no oversight, and no protection against abuses of authority.
“FFOS will always support our Prime Minister in a strong, lawful, and effective fight against the drug and arms trade. We will never condone unlawful killings or abandon the principles of justice and due process that protect us all,” the FFOS said in a statement.
In a statement posted on X, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar distanced her government from the US decision saying that Aboud in announcing that his visa had been revoked “raised several questions and made a number of incendiary statements that must be responsibly and firmly addressed.
“First and foremost, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has absolutely no involvement in the decisions or actions taken by the Government of the United States or the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago regarding their visa or immigration policies. These matters fall solely within the jurisdiction of the United States Government. Any concerns or requests for clarification or redress must be directed to the appropriate U.S. authorities.”
She said |we are blessed to live in a strong and vibrant democracy where freedom of speech and the right to expression are fully protected and have never been interfered with.
“Contrary to Mr. Aboud’s assertions, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are not being silenced. Such an inflammatory allegation is reckless, misleading, and risks causing unnecessary fear.
“I categorically state that there has never been – and will never be – any attempt by my Government to intimidate, punish, or suppress the voices of civil society. In fact, when a former Prime Minister recently called a press conference at his “office” and made a host of unfounded claims, I made it clear that he is free to speak. That is how democracy works, and my Government will always uphold that principle.
“Let me be clear: the true enemies of Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region are the narco-traffickers, human traffickers, gun runners, and the transnational criminal cartels responsible for unprecedented levels of bloodshed, violence, and suffering in our country.”
Persad-Bissessar, who is on record as saying that those involved in the illegal drugs trade should be killed “violently” said “I stand by my position that these dangerous criminals must be confronted decisively.
“My Government firmly supports the United States and our international partners in their mission to combat transnational trafficking and dismantle criminal networks that prey on our citizens.”
She accused the former administration of leaving “our borders dangerously exposed – allowing unchecked entry of illegal immigrants, members of violent gangs such as Tren de Aragua, and an influx of guns, drugs, and trafficked persons.
“For the first time in many years, the presence of the U.S. Marines and military assets in our region has contributed significantly to reducing the flow of illicit weapons and drugs into Trinidad and Tobago. Their partnership is welcomed, and their results are evident.
“My Government remains committed to strengthening regional security, protecting our citizens, and working alongside international partners – including the United States -to ensure that peace, safety, and the rule of law prevail in Trinidad and Tobago.
President Donald Trump has ramped up US military presence in the Caribbean Sea ordering an amphibious squadron to the southern Caribbean as part of his effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.
A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser have also being allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission. In addition, the US largest carrier, the Gerald Forde has joined the build-up
But the United States military has been bombing vessels in the international waters claiming that the occupants were drug traffickers without offering any evidence of such activity.
The United Nations UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also strongly condemned the airstrikes carried out by the United States against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific.
Volker Türk said in a statement that the strikes “violate international human rights law”, demanding that they be stopped immediately.
Last month, the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that regional leaders had discussed several issues on the regional agenda, including the security build-up in parts of the Caribbean and its potential impact on member states.
It said that the position at that meeting was not endorsed by the government of Trinidad and Tobago.
Aboud said that the FFOS cannot condone extra-judicial killings.
“The end does not justify these unlawful and violent murders. The fight against narcotics must be rooted in the rule of law, due process, and respect for human rights,” he said, criticising the US attacks on Venezuelan vessels, describing them as lethal attacks carried out under the claim of counter-narcotics operations but in violation of international law.
Aboud highlighted that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called the strikes “unacceptable” and demanded an independent investigation, while Human Rights Watch deemed them “extrajudicial killings”.
He also questioned why the Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has publicly endorsed violent action while failing to condemn the deaths of two Trinidadians in the strikes. (CMC)
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