Trinidad and Tobago extends state of emergency for another three months

The Caribbean nation has spent 10 of the last 14 months under an emergency status that curtails key civil liberties.Published On 14 Mar 2026As part of a campaign to crack down on crime, the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago has moved to extend its state of emergency, which grants security forces expansive powers and restricts key civil liberties.The country’s House of Representatives voted on Saturday to extend the emergency measures for another three months.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Why is the US targeting Cuba’s global medical missions?list 2 of 3Trump administration launches US military operation in Ecuadorlist 3 of 3Advocates push for major probe as US boat strikes in Latin America kill 157end of listThe three-month extension passed by a margin of 26-12. The state of emergency was initially enacted for a period of 15 days, but the government can stretch it further if it so chooses.Members of the opposition say that, despite the emergency state, the government has failed to bring violent crime under control.Trinidad and Tobago has now been under a state of emergency for about 10 of the last 14 months.A state of emergency was first declared in December 2024, following an outburst of gang violence.It allowed the government to arrest people on “suspicion of criminal activities” and suspended protections against government searches of public and private premises.The country has recorded more than 60 killings this year. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar recently told the legislature that 373 people have been detained under the state of emergency.The vote extends a trend of governments across Latin America relying on emergency orders to address crime in their countries.Countries including El Salvador and Honduras have issued such emergency declarations to pause civil liberties and empower security forces to combat crime, despite a record of mixed success.