The notion of press freedom does not absolve journalism of its responsibilities. Recent narratives suggesting that the United States has ‘finally come to save the Caribbean’ are not merely misguided but dangerously misleading. Such rhetoric romanticizes external militarization in regional waters, conveniently overlooking how historical ‘assistance’ has often morphed into control. This narrative subtly shapes public consent, normalizing foreign military presence as benevolent intervention, thereby encouraging the Caribbean populace to relinquish control over their own peace and security. This is particularly alarming given the U.S.’s renewed ‘war on drugs’ doctrine, which has led to lethal-force interdictions in Caribbean maritime space. These actions starkly contrast with CARICOM’s commitment to maintaining the region as a ‘Zone of Peace,’ highlighting a troubling disparity between rhetoric and reality. History offers stark reminders of the consequences of foreign intervention: from the Dominican Republic in 1965 to Haiti in the 1990s, external forces have consistently prioritized strategic advantage over Caribbean sovereignty. The current militarization, framed as protection, is a continuation of this pattern. Fragmentation among CARICOM members exacerbates vulnerability, weakening the region’s collective bargaining power and making sovereignty negotiable. Legal arrangements like Shiprider Agreements further intensify this exposure, granting foreign authorities extensive powers, including drone surveillance and lethal targeting. These realities demand informed regional leadership, both political and journalistic. The media must document foreign military activities, scrutinize enabling agreements, contextualize current actions within historical patterns, ensure transparency, and reinforce that sovereignty is a daily practice, not a mere slogan. If regional media and leadership fail to confront these patterns with clarity and courage, the ‘Zone of Peace’ may only be recognized in hindsight as the first casualty of a silence mistaken for diplomacy.