Normally around this time of year, activities in the Caribbean community are in reduced mode. The U.N. General Assembly is long over, the midyear leaders’ summit has passed, and tourism economies are already shifting their focus to the busy winter season.
But this year is way different from any in recent decades with tensions rising in the 15-member grouping and as cracks in its unity and foreign policy coordination begin to emerge largely due to the US military build up in the Southern Caribbean, attacks on alleged drug-fetching vessels, and American pressure on Grenada to help fight Venezuela.
A week ago, Washington asked tiny Grenada, which the United States had invaded back in 1983, to allow it to set up a military radar base on the island to monitor Venezuela 100 miles to the south. The request sparked widespread condemnation on the island and muted protests from non-governmental organizations, all calling on the Dickon Mitchell administration to reject the request outright and to stay out of big-country politics and ambitions.
The U.S. had also sent Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, the disgruntled and retiring Southern Commander, to Antigua for talks with Prime Minister Gaston Browne amid speculation that the U.S. has its eye on Antigua as a possible future host for some kind of military facility in that part of the Eastern Caribbean. However, PM Browne has made it clear so far that Antigua has no interest in facilitating any such request if any is made.
Meanwhile, CARICOM leaders issued a statement over this unusually busy weekend, urging dialogue to settle disputes but making it clear that Trinidad and Tobago had not signed on to the statement nor had adopted the position of the caucus which met virtually to discuss the rising tensions.
“Heads of government CARICOM met and discussed various issues on the regional agenda including the increased security build up in the Caribbean and the potential impacts on member states,” the statement said. “Save in respect of Trinidad and Tobago who reserved its position, heads reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the Caribbean region as a zone of peace and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict. CARICOM remains willing to assist towards that objective.”
The administration there has repeatedly stood behind the Trump administration in its ambitions on Venezuela with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar calling on U.S. soldiers to “kill them all violently,” referring to alleged drug traffickers trying to move large shipments of cocaine north to her nation and also to the U.S. She says such activities over the years have led to a spike in violent crime with murders, averaging 600 annually, gangland violence, and increases in felony crimes including drive-by shootings.
So, she and her cabinet have been openly supporting Washington, even offering the island a base if Venezuela attacks neighboring Guyana to enforce a decades-old border claim. On Sunday, her government issued a statement categorically standing behind the U.S.
“The government of T&T wishes to once more, categorically express its strong support for the on-going military intervention of the U.S. in the region.” It suggested that current American operations are “ultimately aimed at allowing the region to be a true ‘zone of peace’ where all citizens can in reality, live and work in a safe environment. Alternatively, all persons who may seek to engage in, or indirectly support, any illegal activities in the region, are warned that should they be so inclined, they do so at their own peril. The government reiterates its commitment to the people of the Caribbean for the creation of a safer, stronger and more prosperous region.”
And while this was happening, citizens in Trinidad were spiked by a weekend advisory from the U.S. mission in Port of Spain asking the population to increase alertness “to be aware of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to local authorities.”
Local authorities have since increased security presence around the mission, hinting that there might have been threats to the facility even as police work to confirm the identities of two Trinidadians killed in one of the boat strikes last week.
Neighboring Guyana is the other member state which has lined up behind the U.S., largely because of persistent Venezuelan bullying of the country over border lines.