"The 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."
"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."
"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."
Trinidad and Tobago's House of Representatives voted to extend the country's state of emergency for another three months by a margin of 26-12. The nation has operated under emergency status for approximately 10 of the last 14 months since December 2024, when gang violence prompted the initial declaration. The emergency grants security forces expansive powers, including authority to arrest suspects and conduct warrantless searches. Despite these measures, over 60 killings occurred this year, and opposition members argue the government has failed to control violent crime. The state of emergency has resulted in 373 detentions. This reflects a broader regional trend across Latin America, where countries including El Salvador and Honduras have similarly extended emergency declarations to combat crime, though with mixed results.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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