Trinidad and Tobago has declared a state of emergency as gang violence continues to rise in the Caribbean nation.
President Christine Carla Cangallo issued the declaration on the advice of Prime Minister Keith Rowley, who was under increasing pressure to act on rising crime figures.
The twin island republic has one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a record number of more than 620 murders so far this year among a population of 1.5 million people.
Organized crime is responsible for most of the killings, many of which are linked to the international drug trade.
According to the U.S. State Department, the country’s proximity to Venezuela, porous borders and direct transportation routes to Europe and North America make it “an important transit point for narcotics.”
In the latest violent incident, five people were shot dead in a shop in the poverty-stricken Lavantelle area on Sunday. Police believe that the killings were carried out in retaliation for the killing of a top gang member yesterday.
Under the state of emergency, the police will have the power to arrest people suspected of involvement in crimes. They will also have the authority to “search and enter both public and private places as necessary.”
The prime minister’s office issued a statement saying it was “addressing those who pose a threat to public safety, particularly those involved in criminal activities and the illegal use of firearms”.
However, he added that there are no plans to impose a curfew.
It is unclear how the state of emergency will affect Trinidad’s world-famous Carnival, which culminates in a huge street parade on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in early March.
The event is a major tourist attraction with thousands of visitors from abroad, but tight security measures can affect the festivities.
The move comes as Trinidad and Tobago prepares for general elections, which should be held by August 2025.
Rawali’s ruling People’s National Movement Party, in power since September 2015, faces a stiff challenge from the opposition United National Congress, led by former prime minister Kamala Prasad-Bessar.