(TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO) The United States has revoked the B1/B2 visa of Gary Aboud, corporate secretary of the environmental NGO Fishermen and Friends of the Sea, in a move that has sparked sharp debate over free speech, security cooperation, and US power in the Caribbean as of late November 2025.
Aboud, a long-time activist known for challenging both local authorities and Washington on marine and environmental issues, said he was formally told by the US Embassy in Port of Spain that his visitor visa had been cancelled based on “new information” that now makes him potentially inadmissible to the United States 🇺🇸. The decision, described to him as a “prudential revocation”, was taken after the visa had already been issued.
Why Aboud links the revocation to his activism
The activist quickly linked the loss of his B1/B2 visa to his recent public criticism of US missile strikes in Caribbean waters and US counter-narcotics operations near Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. He has argued that some lethal actions against Venezuelan vessels at sea amount to unlawful, extrajudicial killings and violate international law. Aboud maintains that his positions are grounded in human rights and maritime law, not any sympathy for criminal groups.
US officials have not released further details of the “new information” they say led to the change in his admissibility, and there is no public indication that he has been charged with any crime.
Legal and procedural background
Under US law, consular officers can cancel a visitor visa at any time if later information suggests a person may be inadmissible on criminal, security, or other grounds, even without a court conviction. General background on the visitor visa category is set out by the State Department’s U.S. visitor visa information.
The phrase “prudential revocation” is often used when officials take pre‑emptive action to cancel a visa while they review or confirm information, rather than wait for a traveller to appear at a US border or airport.
Key point: consular decisions to revoke visas can be made unilaterally by US officials and are often not accompanied by detailed public explanations.
Political reactions in Trinidad and Tobago
The case has taken on a sharper political edge locally after Aboud suggested the timing and nature of the revocation could amount to an attempt to silence a strong critic of US military activity in the region. He argued that his advocacy on behalf of fishermen, migrants at sea, and coastal communities has made him a “thorn in the side” of both Washington and local authorities who rely on US security aid.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar moved quickly to reject any claim that her administration had pushed for the move or was in any way involved. She stressed that visa and immigration decisions remain the sole responsibility of the US government and its embassy. According to her, Trinidad and Tobago’s government has no power to grant or cancel a US visa and did not pass any information with the goal of hurting Aboud.
Persad-Bissessar backed the wider security relationship with Washington, calling her government a strong supporter of US and international efforts to fight transnational crime, including:
- Narcotics trafficking
- Human trafficking
- The spread of violent gangs across the region
She said cooperation with US counter‑drug and border efforts is essential for a small country caught between South American drug routes and North American demand.
At the same time, the prime minister sharply attacked Aboud’s description of recent US actions at sea, calling his statements about alleged extrajudicial killings and unlawful missile strikes “reckless” and “misleading”. She argued those claims risked harming relations with a key security partner and could confuse the public about the nature of joint operations against traffickers and organized crime in Caribbean waters.
Her comments reflect a delicate balance: defending the right of civil society groups such as Fishermen and Friends of the Sea to speak out, while standing by US‑led maritime patrols and interdictions that Trinidad and Tobago depends on to control drugs and weapons. Persad-Bissessar insisted her government “does not intimidate or suppress” NGOs or critics, and she stressed that Aboud remains free to campaign and speak within the country.
Government critique of past failures and security context
In defending the cooperation line, Persad-Bissessar also criticized previous administrations, accusing them of leaving Trinidad and Tobago’s borders weak and porous. She pointed to the arrival of violent transnational gangs, including the Venezuelan-origin group Tren de Aragua, as evidence of years of weak border control that allowed:
- Irregular migration
- Gun smuggling
- Increased drug flows
Those security threats, she suggested, are precisely why tight cooperation with US agencies and US counter-narcotics operations has become central to her government’s agenda.
US Embassy stance and implications for citizens
The US Embassy has stuck to standard language, saying only that visas may be revoked at any time if later information suggests an individual may be inadmissible under US immigration law.
For ordinary Trinidad and Tobago citizens, the case is a reminder of how fragile US travel permission can be. A B1/B2 visa, which covers short‑term business and tourism travel, is a vital document for many people who:
- Have family in the United States
- Rely on trade and professional links with the US
- Attend conferences, meetings, or fundraising events
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, revocations based on new information can happen even to long‑time visa holders, and consular officers are not required to share the full details with the applicant.
Legal recourse and civil society concerns
Legal analysts in Port of Spain note that, in practice, there is very little recourse for someone in Aboud’s position. While he can:
- Ask for clarification from the US Embassy
- Apply for a new visa in the future
US consular decisions are generally not open to appeal in local courts, and Washington rarely reverses course unless there is clear proof of error or a major change in circumstances.
That leaves activists, journalists, and NGO leaders aware that strong public criticism of US security actions may carry personal costs if they depend on easy travel to the United States.
Human rights advocates caution against jumping to conclusions about the reasons behind the revocation. Without the underlying file, it is impossible to know whether US officials acted because of:
- Aboud’s public statements
- Third‑party reports
- An unrelated concern
Some groups warn that assuming every visa action is political can weaken real efforts to document and challenge abuses when they occur.
Broader context and immediate impact
The visa decision comes at a time when Caribbean governments are under pressure from Washington to step up cooperation on:
- Drug routes
- Irregular migration
- Gang networks stretching from South America to North America
Leaders like Persad-Bissessar, keen to show they are serious partners, have little interest in defending critics who question the legality of high‑profile US operations.
For now, Aboud’s cancelled B1/B2 visa limits his ability to:
- Attend conferences in the United States
- Meet partners and fundraisers
- Raise funds for marine protection and coastal community causes
He remains an influential voice at home, but the episode underlines how immigration tools can intersect with foreign policy, security cooperation, and civil society activism in small states that depend heavily on US goodwill.
The US Embassy in Port of Spain revoked activist Gary Aboud’s B1/B2 visa citing unspecified “new information.” Aboud links the move to his criticism of US maritime strikes and counter‑narcotics operations. Prime Minister Kamla Persad‑Bissessar denied any government role and reiterated cooperation with US security efforts. Legal analysts say consular revocations offer little local recourse, raising concerns about chilling effects on activists and community advocates who rely on US travel.
