Acting Police Commissioner Junior Benjamin says the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has “no additional information” about the alleged threat to US facilities beyond what is already public, and there is no local intelligence suggesting cause for alarm.
“Exactly what you’ve seen is what has been given to us. We have no additional information at all,” Benjamin told Newsday. “It’s just that we are taking that extra precaution because we want to ensure safety and security on a whole.”
On October 18, the US Embassy issued a social media advisory urging American citizens to avoid US government facilities in Trinidad and Tobago through the Divali weekend, citing a “heightened state of alert.”
Benjamin stressed that while police have stepped up security checks — including at TT Electricity Commission and Water and Sewerage Authority sites — there is “no proof or anything to say that we’re seeing anything unusual within the TT space.”
Finance Minister Dave Tancoo, meanwhile, condemned social media rumors claiming an imminent “security alert” at the Central Bank and alleged evacuations of top officials. He called such claims “fake news” and accused certain “news sources” of trying to incite panic.
“There are certain ‘news sources,’ and I say that intentionally, that are seeking to create mass hysteria and panic,” Tancoo said. He added that any US military action toward Venezuela would not be pre-announced, especially not through social media.
Current U.S. Travel Advisory for Trinidad and Tobago
The United States currently maintains a Level 3 travel advisory for Trinidad and Tobago, urging travelers to “reconsider travel” due to crime. The advisory warns of high levels of violent crime, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and sexual assault, particularly in certain urban areas.
While the U.S. Embassy’s October 18 alert urged citizens to avoid U.S. government facilities during the Divali weekend due to a “heightened state of alert,” it did not change the overall travel advisory level. Officials emphasized that the advisory remains primarily linked to ongoing safety concerns rather than any specific or verified new threat.