Trinidad and Tobago has declared a state of emergency due to escalating gang violence, as criminal activities continue to rise in the nation. President Christine Carla Kangaloo made the announcement following advice from Prime Minister Keith Rowley, amid public outcry over surging crime statistics. The country, which has one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America and the Caribbean, has recorded over 620 murders this year alone, with organized crime largely tied to the international drug trade.