USA Africa Dialogue Series - Two Storms in the Caribbean

0n Sunday, October  26, 2025,

Hurricane Melissa could 

wreak havoc on Jamaica, Haiti and

the Dominican Republic. Some weather

 reports predict a category 5 hurricane. 

The outcome of the storm's fury could 

be devastating, with  trees and debris 

blocking roads, damaging power lines

and roofs, and  torrential  floods. There 

might also be  the loss of lives to the 

wrath of the hurricane.

But another more deadly storm awaits 

populations 1,200 miles away in 

Venezuela and Trinidad  and Tobago.

 For the twin islands,  merely seven miles 

away from Venezuela ( the country 

with the world's largest reserve

of oil),   the situation is scary for two 

reasons. 

Firstly, Mr.Trump has amassed about a fifth 

of his air power and about 5000 troops

in the vicinity of Venezuela. The

world's largest warship, nuclear 

 powered submarines, long range

strategic bombers, supersonic jet trainers, 

amphibious assault ships and MQ-9 

reapers, are among the U.S. arsenal's

shock -and- awe power display.

Collateral damage from  confrontation 

could  undoubtedly wreak havoc on 

Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹.

Secondly, what  makes the

situation equally  worrisome, is the 

threat by Venezuelan  President 

Maduro,to bomb the country in 

retaliation for the hot-headed 

decision of the Prime Minister of 

Trinidad and Tobago, 

Kamla Persad-Bissessar,

to allow U.S. forces access to air and 

land space, in the military action against 

Venezuela.

With the exception of this  starry -  eyed 

Prime Minister, a  Trump sympathizer, 

countries of the regional organization 

Caricom, have rejected

collaborative requests outright. 

People of the region recall previous 

invasions and  occupations by the U.S., 

in Grenada, Haiti,The Dominican 

Republic and Cuba, in the 20th century,

and the trail of death,  and destruction 

of  lives and property, that ensued. 

Why would they open the door to chaos

and confusion?

In the final analysis, the 

confrontation between the Trump

administration and Venezuela has

very little to with drugs, and the tiny

fishing boats plying the waters off 

Venezuela and Trinidad. The present

 face-off is more about 

the U.S quest to dominate the world's 

largest oil reserves,  through a pliable 

puppet government in the likes of

the now discredited Juan Guaido 

and  the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize recipient 

Maria Machado, who, incidentally,

expressed full support for 

Netanyahu's war actions in Gaza, invited

him to Caracas, and donated her shiny

trophy to Trump.

This  conflict is also an attempt to 

challenge and weaken BRICS, given 

Chinese and Russian commercial 

ties with Venezuela. 

Having lost wars in Vietnam and 

Afghanistan and perhaps 

Ukraine,  will the U.S. win this latest

war?How many civilians and soldiers 

will perish in the process, and what

will Kamla Persad -Bissessar gain

from the chaos? 

The Caribbean sits on edge in this

 new iteration of imperial arrogance.

Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
Professor of History/African Studies, CCSU
Chief Editor- "Africa Update"
https://sites.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html
Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries
www.vimeo.com/gloriaemeagwali
www.africahistory.net
Founding Coordinator, African Studies, CCSU