Trinidad and Tobago is in a state of emergency. Gangs are causing more and more violence there. The country's president made the decision. She did it because the prime minister said to. He was under a lot of pressure to do something about crime.
Trinidad and Tobago has a very high murder rate. It is one of the worst in Latin America and the Caribbean. There have been over 620 murders this year. That is a record high. The country only has 1.5 million people.
Gangs are to blame for most of the killings. Many are tied to the global drug trade. Trinidad and Tobago is close to Venezuela. It also has borders that are easy to get through. There are straight paths from there to Europe and North America. This makes it a perfect spot for moving drugs.
The most recent violence was on Sunday. Five men were shot in a store in a poor area called Laventille. Cops think it was revenge. A big gang member was killed the day before.
The state of emergency gives police more power. They can arrest people they think committed crimes and search any place they need to.
The prime minister's office said why they did it. They want to stop people who are a danger to others. Especially those who commit crimes and have illegal guns. But they said they will not make people stay inside.
It's not known how this will affect Carnival. Carnival is a big party that happens in Trinidad every year. It attracts many visitors from other places, but more security could make it less fun.
An election is coming in Trinidad and Tobago. It has to happen by August 2025. The party in charge now is the People's National Movement. They have been in power since 2015. The United National Congress party is their main rival. It is led by a woman who used to be prime minister. Her name is Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Trinidad and Tobago has a very high murder rate. It is one of the worst in Latin America and the Caribbean. There have been over 620 murders this year. That is a record high. The country only has 1.5 million people.
Gangs are to blame for most of the killings. Many are tied to the global drug trade. Trinidad and Tobago is close to Venezuela. It also has borders that are easy to get through. There are straight paths from there to Europe and North America. This makes it a perfect spot for moving drugs.
The most recent violence was on Sunday. Five men were shot in a store in a poor area called Laventille. Cops think it was revenge. A big gang member was killed the day before.
The state of emergency gives police more power. They can arrest people they think committed crimes and search any place they need to.
The prime minister's office said why they did it. They want to stop people who are a danger to others. Especially those who commit crimes and have illegal guns. But they said they will not make people stay inside.
It's not known how this will affect Carnival. Carnival is a big party that happens in Trinidad every year. It attracts many visitors from other places, but more security could make it less fun.
An election is coming in Trinidad and Tobago. It has to happen by August 2025. The party in charge now is the People's National Movement. They have been in power since 2015. The United National Congress party is their main rival. It is led by a woman who used to be prime minister. Her name is Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
