‘A really serious time’

As tensions between the United States (US) and Venezuela build, a senior retired diplomat is cautioning that if it escalates into open conflict, trade in the region and tourism, on which most CARICOM states, including Jamaica, depend heavily would be significantly impacted.

Both the BBC and CBS News reported last week that three US B-52 bomber aircraft circled an area close to the Venezuelan coast on Wednesday, as the US continues to increase pressure on the Nicolás Maduro administration.

CBS reported that tracking data on the site Flightradar24 showed the planes circled in the Caribbean Sea on Wednesday, flying about 150 miles north of Venezuela.

The news entity said the mission followed an uptick in military activity in the waters off Venezuela in the last month. US President Donald Trump has allegedly deployed eight warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and fighter jets to the area. It is reported that some 10,000 US forces are built up in the Caribbean region, either on ships or in Puerto Rico.

Ambassador Byron Blake, former permanent representative of Jamaica to the United Nations, responded yesterday to this question from The Gleaner: ‘If the escalating tension between the US and Venezuela spins out of control, what are the possible implications for CARICOM and other states in the region?’

Blake, who is also former assistant secretary general of CARICOM, said: “That is not something that I can begin to imagine, because once it gets to a situation of real conflict nobody is safe.”

He said the Caribbean and its economies depend on two big ticket items – international trade and tourism.

According to Blake, ships involved in trade have to be cleared to pass through the waters peacefully.

“The fact that you already have destroyers (warships) deployed, it’s already a problem,” he added.

“The second thing is that the Caribbean depends heavily on tourism, an important component being cruise tourism; so when you begin to have real problems and missiles flying, and so forth, that is a real challenge. It is really a state of almost trepidation for the region,” the veteran diplomat said.

He told The Gleaner that he was not convinced that the region fully appreciates the current developments, stressing that it was “a really serious time”.

On Saturday, CARICOM released a short statement on developments in the region after at least five separate attacks by the US, since last month, on alleged drug-carrying boats near Venezuela. Just last week, the US president reportedly acknowledged that he has authorised covert CIA operations in Venezuela. He also indicated that his administration is considering strikes on drug traffickers by land.

These incidents have triggered growing fear across the region, with fisherfolk raising concern about their safety when fishing on the high seas.

In its statement, CARICOM said that at a meeting between member states, the regional body discussed various issues, including the increased security build-up in the Caribbean and the potential impacts on member countries.

The Heads of Government agreed on a number of issues, with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago, which reserved its position.

CARICOM 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 meeting that objective, it added.

The CARICOM heads reaffirmed “unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region, and the safety and livelihoods of the people of the region”.

Further, the Heads of Government reiterated their continued commitment to fighting narcotrafficking and the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons.

Blake argued that the situation faced by CARICOM at this time is a complex one, noting that the region should appreciate that what is at stake is regime change in the South American country and, to a lesser extent, diversion of attention in the US.

“This has very little to do, if anything, with drug trafficking. You recognise that you are dealing with 14 countries, some of which would have had different types of relationships with Venezuela, and some of which would have different challenges and relationships with Washington,” he said.

While indicating that the statement did not go far enough, Blake acknowledged that for member states to have crafted a response that recognised three of the fundamental principles on which the integration process has proceeded over the last almost 60 years, it should not be scoffed at.

He is of the view that extensive negotiations would have had to take place for there to be agreement on such fundamental principles stated by the regional heads.

When asked if CARICOM heads should have reached out to US President Donald Trump to have dialogue on the issue, Blake said one of the challenges they would have is that they are dealing with “an irrational interlocutor”.

He urged CARICOM heads to be united on the issues affecting the region.

However, Trinidad and Tobago put out a statement yesterday as a follow-up to the CARICOM response. The twin-island republic said it was in strong support for the ongoing military intervention of the US in the region.

“These operations aimed at combating narco and human trafficking and other forms of transnational crime 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,” the statement from T&T’s foreign and CARICOM affairs ministry declared.

It said the government of Trinidad and Tobago affirms that these operations are not meant to target law-abiding persons, specifically fisherfolk and other seafaring individuals seeking to earn an honest living.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com