Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar visited U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) today where she met with SOUTHCOM Commander Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan and senior command leaders.
The discussions centered on collaborative efforts to combat Designated Terrorist Organizations in the Caribbean and ongoing initiatives to strengthen the defense partnership between both nations.
Persad-Bissessar’s visit highlights the importance of the bilateral defense partnership and the shared commitment to confront the scourge of narco-terrorism in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago maintain a close defense partnership and commitment to Caribbean security. This partnership includes regular training and engagements, such as the longstanding Caribbean-focused Tradewinds exercise, which brings together forces from multiple regional nations to conduct combined training. Last year, Trinidad and Tobago hosted forces from 25 nations during the Tradewinds 2025 exercise, demonstrating the nation’s role as a leader in regional security.
SOUTHCOM is one of the nation’s six geographically focused unified commands with responsibility for U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America, as well as security cooperation with defense and public-security forces in the region.
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POC: U.S. Southern Command, Office of Public Affairs | southcom.miami.sc-cc.list.cmd-public-affairs@mail.mil | 305-437-1213