Caption: Caption: A screengrab showing Rishi Samaroo before he boarded a boat in Venezuela on October 12, 2025
By Alicia Chamely
FOREIGN and CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers is lashing out at the media for their reporting on the suspected deaths of two Trinidadians in US Naval strikes, when there is no evidence the men were killed in a US strike in international waters near Venezuela.
Sober’s criticisms and defence occurred during a tense exchange at Thursday’s post cabinet press briefing held at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, when he was questioned regarding Chad “Charpo” Joseph and Rishi Samaroo whose relatives said they were killed in a strike reported on October 14, 2025.
Replying to questions regarding Joseph and Samaroo’s disappearance and claims by their families that both were killed in US strikes when returning from Venezuela, Sobers said, “Consistently since this incident arose, what the media is reporting actually quite irresponsible.”
He said, “When we say or the government says and I say there is no evidence to suggest these persons were killed by the strike pursuant to military intervention we say that because it is a fact!.”
He said, “There is no evidence to say that they were killed by a military strike, and essentially what we have said is, that the position is, if these persons are missing, because that is what we know at this point in time, there is a procedure to be adopted.”
Taking aim at the media, he said, “But what the irresponsible media has been doing is going out and encouraging people to say that these persons have been killed in a strike!”
Calling allegations that the men died in an attack “wild” and “spurious,” he scolded the media saying, “Report sensibly, report factually, but don’t contribute to fear mongering and illegitimate statements.”
Questioned further as to whether the government had any evidence as to whether those killed were in possession of illegal narcotics or weapons, Sobers said “no.”
He said the strikes were a part of a US military operation in international waters and therefore it was the prerogative of the US if they wanted to share that information.
Sobers added, “These are strikes conducted in international waters. If the strikes occurred in national waters, then the US would have to share this information.”
Expressing his frustration with the line of questioning he said, “I don’t hear the media coming to ask Trinidad and Tobago about strikes that occur in Lebanon or Syria or other international entities when they deem persons as combatants pursuant to designating them as terrorists.”
He said, “It’s very hypocritical to come and ask the government about military operations by the US, when they are occurring in international waters.”
Pressed as to whether the government had evidence that the strikes happened in international waters, Sobers said, “Yes, we have evidence the strikes happened in international waters.”
As Sober’s was further questioned by AZP News Editor in Chief Prior Beharry, who was responding to Sober’s criticisms of the media’s reporting, Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Nicholas Morris interrupted, attempting to steer the line of questioning away from tensions between the US and Venezuela.
However, Beharry respectfully dismissed Morris’s attempts and insisted for the sake of public interest and for the media to report the “facts” Sober’s answer the questions at hand.
Sober reiterated he had no confirmation that the men were killed in a US strike and indicated he may possibly share the information including the longitude and latitude of where the strike occurred.
Samaroo’s family told AZP News that they spoke to him via video call on the night of Octobter 12, 2025 just before he told them he was boarding a boat to come to Trinidad. They said they have not heard from him since.
