Caribbean must be respected as zone of peace

The Caribbean, long celebrated as a zone of peace, faces a grave challenge as the United States under the Trump administration continues its military incursions into Caribbean waters. These actions, which have resulted in the tragic deaths of innocent civilians, starkly violate the principles of sovereignty, non-interference, and mutual respect upheld by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the United Nations. The Trump administration’s aggressive maneuvers, justified under the guise of ‘security operations,’ echo a troubling pattern in US foreign policy—one marked by the manipulation of facts and the use of propaganda to legitimize military intervention. From Vietnam to Iraq and now Venezuela, the US has consistently exploited fabricated narratives to advance its geopolitical and economic interests. The Caribbean, a region of small but sovereign nations, must resist being drawn into this imperialist agenda aimed at regime change and control over Venezuela’s oil resources. The Caribbean Sea, a vital lifeline for commerce, culture, and cooperation, must not become a theater for war. Caricom nations, alongside regional civil society, must unite to defend the Caribbean’s status as a zone of peace. This commitment is not merely symbolic but a moral and legal obligation to ensure the region’s peoples live free from fear, militarization, and foreign manipulation. The Global African Congress (GAC) stands in solidarity with Caribbean and Latin American nations in opposing any form of military aggression or coercion. The Caribbean’s message to Washington is unequivocal: the region’s peace and sovereignty are non-negotiable. History has shown that silence in the face of injustice breeds impunity. The Caribbean, forged through resistance to slavery, colonialism, and imperialist exploitation, must once again rise in defense of its freedom and sovereignty. The GAC calls for a full international investigation into US military operations in the Caribbean and demands accountability under international law. The geopolitical landscape has shifted, and the Caribbean now has the means to assert its sovereignty and development as a zone of peace. The world must recognize that the Caribbean Sea is not a zone of war, and its people are not pawns in imperialist schemes.