The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), launched in 2010, is a cornerstone of the United States’ security strategy in the Caribbean. It channels U.S. funding, training, and technical expertise to 13 island and coastal nations to counter illicit trafficking, firearms smuggling, and transnational organized crime. The initiative positions the U.S. as a key security partner in a region vulnerable to criminal networks exploiting porous borders, maritime routes, and limited enforcement capacity. Participating countries include Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
CBSI works with Caribbean law enforcement agencies to dismantle transnational criminal organizations involved in narcotics and firearms trafficking, including groups linked to South America and Mexico. The program provides training and technical assistance through U.S. agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations. It supports vetted regional units conducting complex investigations in coordination with U.S. authorities and backs specialized efforts such as the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit in Trinidad and Tobago, which focuses on firearms trafficking and gun-related crime. CBSI also assists Caribbean states in investigating and prosecuting money laundering and financial crimes, including seizing and reinvesting criminal assets.
Collaboration with the Regional Security System (RSS) is another key component of CBSI, particularly in countering illicit maritime trafficking in the Eastern Caribbean. The RSS, comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, benefits from U.S.-donated assets, including two C-26 maritime patrol aircraft. The CBSI Technical Assistance Field Team, made up of U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army personnel, provides maintenance and operational support to selected Caribbean coast guards and maritime units.
In May 2025, Trinidad and Tobago hosted the 40th Exercise Tradewinds, a multinational training exercise convened by the U.S. Southern Command. The exercise involved over 1,000 participants from 31 countries, focusing on maritime interdiction, ground security, and humanitarian assistance, further strengthening regional cooperation and operational readiness under the CBSI framework.
