Relatives and friends of Las Cuevas resident Chad “Charpo” Joseph are condemning the recent U.S. air strike off the coast of Venezuela that claimed his life, calling it an “act of wickedness.” The attack, which also killed another Trinidadian identified only as Samaroo, was part of the United States’ ongoing operations against alleged narcotics trafficking networks in the Caribbean.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced the strike on social media, stating that intelligence confirmed the targeted vessel was involved in narcotics trafficking and linked to “illicit narcoterrorist networks.” The operation marked the fifth such strike since the U.S. military increased its presence in the Caribbean under Trump’s directive to combat drug smuggling from Venezuela. The U.S. continues to label Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro a “narco-trafficker,” maintaining a US$50 million bounty for his capture.
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In total, 27 people have been killed in the five air strikes conducted by U.S. forces. Trump described the missions as “successful,” suggesting they could pave the way for potential land operations targeting traffickers.
In Las Cuevas, Joseph’s death has sparked anger and disbelief. His friend Kern questioned the legality and morality of the strike, saying, “What the U.S. doing there, I think it is inhumane. They blow up the boat, but what real evidence they have? What closure the family have now?”
Joseph’s mother, Lenore Burnley, said she refuses to believe her son was involved in drugs and has placed her faith in God to find peace. “I leave everything in God’s hands. He knows, He sees. He doesn’t give you more than you can bear,” she said, adding that she finds it “wrong” for the U.S. to destroy a vessel without first attempting interception.
Joseph’s grandmother, Christine Clement, revealed that her grandson had been living in Venezuela for the past three months and had previously survived a similar attack while trying to return home. “The first time he was coming up, they shoot up the boat, but he survived. This time he wasn’t so lucky,” she said sadly.
Clement’s husband echoed the family’s outrage, labeling the U.S. strike “wickedness.” He denied claims that his grandson was a trafficker, saying, “Nah, the boy not no drug trafficker. They does make their lil run and come back.”
Following the first U.S. strike on September 2, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had expressed strong support for the U.S. operations, stating she had “no sympathy for traffickers” and that the U.S. military should “kill them all violently.” She reaffirmed her support after subsequent strikes, following bilateral discussions in Washington, D.C., on energy and national security with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Efforts to contact Persad-Bissessar, Defence Minister Wayne Sturge, and Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers for comment were unsuccessful.
