Trinidad and Tobago has entered a state of emergency following escalating gang violence and record-breaking homicide rates. President Christine Carla Kangaloo made the declaration upon Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s recommendation as the nation grapples with growing security concerns.
The Caribbean nation, with a population of 1.5 million, has recorded over 620 murders this year, placing it among the highest homicide rates in Latin America and the Caribbean. Most killings are attributed to organized crime groups involved in international drug trafficking. The country’s location near Venezuela and its direct transportation routes to Europe and North America make it particularly vulnerable to narcotics trans-shipment, according to the US State Department.
A recent incident in the Laventille area saw five men shot dead in a shop, which police believe was retaliation for a gang member’s murder the previous day. While specific details of the emergency measures have not been announced, the declaration comes as the country approaches a general election, due by August 2025.
Prime Minister Rowley’s People’s National Movement party, which has governed since September 2015, faces competition from the United National Congress, led by former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
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