Distinguished Caribbean statesman Ralph Gonsalves, former Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has raised profound questions regarding the United States’ apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, challenging whether the operation constitutes legitimate law enforcement or represents a politically motivated intervention.
Addressing journalists at a Kingstown press conference, the seasoned politician and legal expert emphasized the critical importance of distinguishing between standard judicial procedures and potential geopolitical power plays. “We must not conflate military intervention or political operations with authentic law enforcement activities,” Gonsalves stated, adding, “The fundamental question remains: Is this purely a law enforcement action?”
With twenty-four years of regional leadership experience and having recently facilitated diplomatic talks between Venezuela and Guyana in December 2023 amid territorial disputes, Gonsalves brings considerable credibility to the discussion. While deliberately avoiding speculation about specific motivations behind Maduro’s capture, he expressed concern about broader implications for international justice systems.
The veteran statesman outlined established extradition frameworks within CARICOM nations, noting that member states maintain bilateral treaties and domestic legislation governing such procedures. “When the United States alleges an individual has violated American law, proper channels exist through mutual legal assistance agreements,” he explained, while acknowledging some constitutions prohibit citizen extradition altogether.
Gonsalves raised particular concern about Maduro’s prospect for a fair trial in New York, ironically referencing President Trump’s own assertions about judicial bias in the region. Drawing parallels with historical precedents, he cited numerous instances where charges against leaders were subsequently revealed as fabricated, including the 19th-century abduction of Nigerian King Jaja who was exiled to St. Vincent, and more recent cases involving Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
The former prime minister framed current developments as symptomatic of eroding multilateralism, explicitly connecting Trump’s embrace of a modernized Monroe Doctrine—sometimes referred to as the “Trump Corollary” or “Donroe Doctrine”—to concerning patterns of hemispheric intervention. “This represents nothing less than the undermining of the multilateral system and the enthronement of unilateralism,” Gonsalves concluded, urging Caribbean citizens to educate themselves about these complex geopolitical dynamics.