Relatives of Two Trinidadian Men Killed in US Bombing Formally Make Report to Police
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - Relatives of two men believed to have been killed when United States military bombed their fishing vessel in international waters last month, have formally made a report to the police here.
Chad Joseph (right) and Rishi Samaroo (File Photo)Police said that a relative of Chad Joseph, 26, filed the missing person’s report on November 1, in which the relative said that Joseph was last seen and heard from on the morning of April 25, when he said he was going fishing but never returned.
But the police said that while giving her statement, the relative became agitated and appeared to be messaging on her phone. She later told the investigating officer she wanted to consult her attorney before continuing and declined to sign the partial statement.
Later attorney Keron Ramkhalawhan contacted police, advising that his client would not provide further statements.
A second report was made by Rishi Samaroo’s relatives on November 2.
Late last month, the Trinidad and Tobago government reiterated that it had no concrete evidence that two of its nationals were killed when the United States military bombed a small vessel in international waters near the coast of Venezuela as part of its war on the illegal drugs trade in the region.
Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister, Sean Sobers, speaking at a news conference here, referred to the nationals as “missing” telling reporters “as far as we know these persons may very well be missing, we don’t know them to be dead.
We don’t know that they were actual persons on any boats that may have been destroyed by the US,” he said, adding “the relatives conducted funerals, I think one of them did, my heart goes out to them…and we wish them all the best.
“What we did say is that in lieu of any evidence that these persons have actually died that the best course of action would be to go to the police and file a missing person report,” he added.
Homeland Security Minister, Roger Alexander, a former senior police officer, had soon after the “incident, also cast doubt on the “innocence” of the two men, Richie Samaroo and Chad “Charpo” Joseph, not being involved in criminal activities.
In october, President Donald Trump 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.
The United States military has carried out deadly air strikes in Caribbean waters over the past few weeks against what Washington alleges are Caracas-backed drug traffickers. The Venezuelan government denies the charge, accusing the administration of being a threat to the peace and security of the whole region.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar has said that she is “happy that the US naval deployment is having success in their mission,” and that “the pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense. I have no sympathy for traffickers; the US military should kill them all violently”.
