Venezuela has accused the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago of orchestrating a false-flag operation aimed at triggering a military conflict in the Caribbean.

The claim comes as joint military exercises between the US and Trinidad and Tobago continue near Venezuelan waters.

Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said on Sunday that Venezuelan forces had captured “a group of mercenaries with direct information of the American intelligence agency.” She alleged that the group’s mission was to stage a false-flag attack either in waters bordering Trinidad and Tobago or from within Venezuelan territory.

A false-flag operation refers to an act designed to appear as if carried out by another party, often to justify retaliation or escalation. Rodríguez warned that the alleged plan was meant to “generate a full military confrontation with our country.”

However, the statement did not include evidence or detailed information about those allegedly detained.

US-Trinidad military drills under scrutiny

The accusations coincide with joint US-Trinidad and Tobago military exercises currently underway in the Caribbean. While the exercises have been described by Washington as part of routine regional cooperation, Caracas claims they are a cover for provocation.

Venezuelan officials have long accused the US of attempting to destabilize President Nicolás Maduro’s government through covert operations and economic pressure.

Trump’s alleged CIA authorisation

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump confirmed authorizing the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela — an admission that has intensified Caracas’s suspicion of American involvement.

The Venezuelan government said Sunday’s alleged plot follows a pattern of similar incidents, including a supposed plan to plant explosives in the US embassy in Caracas earlier in October, which Maduro had described as another false-flag attempt.

The US State Department has not yet commented on the accusations. Meanwhile, the Pentagon last week deployed the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group to the Caribbean, further heightening tensions in the region.

Trump has also ordered multiple strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific on vessels Washington claims were involved in drug trafficking, a justification Venezuela has previously called a pretext for military presence near its borders.