The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) confronts a severe foreign policy challenge following recent US military operations in Venezuela, exposing deep divisions among its 14 sovereign member states. Since September 2025, American military actions in the region have triggered contrasting responses that threaten the bloc’s cohesion.
CARICOM leadership now navigates complex pressures stemming from the revived ‘Donroe Doctrine’ and concurrent US policy demands toward member nations. The organization faces the formidable task of formulating a unified foreign policy response to the Trump administration’s renewed emphasis on spheres of influence and strategic competition.
Two distinct camps have emerged within CARICOM. Barbados exemplifies the traditional foreign policy approach, with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley delivering a blunt assessment of the January 3 US military action in Venezuela. Her position aligns closely with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who termed the intervention ‘a dangerous precedent’ that risks regional instability and violates international norms.
Conversely, Trinidad and Tobago has pursued a markedly different course, emphasizing regional peace concerns while simultaneously reaffirming commitment to Washington’s intervention logic. The nation’s prominent role in ‘Operation Southern Spear’ has raised eyebrows within CARICOM, particularly as US interventionism appears resurgent in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The crisis unfolds against broader geopolitical shifts, with the United States withdrawing from numerous international organizations and treaties it previously established. This retreat from multilateralism particularly concerns CARICOM members, who rely heavily on UN-based international law and multilateral frameworks to protect their interests as small states.
The upcoming Fiftieth Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government assumes critical importance as members seek common ground. While some unity exists on certain US policy aspects—such as hosting deported migrants—the fundamental question remains whether the bloc can overcome its divisions during this unity-defining moment.
Dr. Nand C. Bardouille of The University of the West Indies observes that CARICOM leadership recognizes the summit represents a test the regional grouping cannot afford to fail, given the high stakes for Caribbean sovereignty and international law principles.