U.S. warns on Trinidad travel

The United States is still telling Americans to reconsider travel to Trinidad and Tobago, and it has now highlighted a heightened terrorism risk alongside violent crime. (travel.state.gov) The State Department’s advisory for Trinidad and Tobago remains at Level 3, the second-highest warning on its four-level scale. The advisory page says the current notice was updated on April 13, 2026, after a previous major update on May 7, 2025. (travel.state.gov) (trinidadexpress.com) The U.S. warning says violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago includes murder, robbery, assault, sexual assault, home invasion and kidnapping, and it says a significant share of that violence is gang-related. It also says terrorists may attack with little or no warning at tourist sites, hotels, markets, airports, schools and major events. (travel.state.gov) The advisory sits alongside a nationwide state of emergency declared by Trinidad and Tobago’s government on March 2, 2026, and put into effect on March 3. A March 4 U.S. Embassy security alert said the emergency followed a spike in violent criminal activity mainly carried out by organized criminal gangs. (tt.usembassy.gov) Under that emergency, the embassy said police can arrest people on suspicion of illegal activity and search public and private premises, while bail is suspended for people suspected of committing a crime. The same alert said there was no curfew and no restriction on public assemblies at that time. (tt.usembassy.gov) For travelers, the warning is also specific about geography. U.S. government employees are barred at all times from Laventille, Piccadilly Street, Besson Street, parts of Charlotte Street, Beetham, Sea Lots, Cocorite and the interior of Queen’s Park Savannah, with additional after-dark restrictions in downtown Port of Spain, at Fort George and at beaches. (travel.state.gov) (trinidadexpress.com) The latest revision changed some of the wording even though the overall level did not move. Trinidad Express reported that the State Department removed the kidnapping indicator, added a new “increased risk” area, and said violent crime has fallen significantly since 2024 but remains a persistent problem, with lower rates in Tobago than in Trinidad. (trinidadexpress.com) The terrorism language also landed days after Trinidad and Tobago published court-backed designations of Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist entities under its Anti-Terrorism Act. The Attorney General’s ministry lists April 2026 anti-terrorism designations on its official site, and local reports said the orders were gazetted on April 13. (agla.gov.tt) (guardian.co.tt) That move drew criticism at home. Concerned Muslims of Trinidad and Tobago said the designations looked like an attack on Islam and questioned the timing, while the government’s legal action froze any local assets linked to the listed groups. (cnc3.co.tt) (guardian.co.tt) For now, the U.S. advice has not escalated to “Do Not Travel,” but it remains a clear warning: reconsider the trip, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, and expect heavier police and military presence while the emergency stays in force. (travel.state.gov) (tt.usembassy.gov)