Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • Doctors in Brazil confirm Bolsonaro is fit for surgery

    Doctors in Brazil confirm Bolsonaro is fit for surgery

    Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has received medical clearance to undergo a surgical procedure following comprehensive diagnostic testing at a hospital in Brasília. The medical evaluation occurred after his transfer from Federal Police headquarters, where he has been detained since November 22nd while serving a 27-year sentence for attempted coup charges.

    Leading physicians Dr. Brasil Caiado and Dr. Claudio Birolini, who are overseeing the medical procedure, confirmed that Bolsonaro underwent extensive preoperative assessment including complete cardiological evaluation, comprehensive blood work, and coronary computed tomography angiography. The diagnostic results revealed minor fatty plaque deposits without significant arterial deterioration, while laboratory findings remained within normal clinical parameters.

    Cardiologist Caiado stated that the former president presents with clinical stability and meets all necessary criteria for surgery. “The patient has been thoroughly prepared with all requisite preoperative testing completed and demonstrates no cardiac contraindications for the procedure,” he affirmed during a medical briefing.

    Following the surgical intervention, the former Army captain will be transferred to the post-anesthesia care unit for approximately two hours of intensive monitoring before returning to his hospital room. The medical team emphasized that standard postoperative protocols will be implemented to ensure recovery.

    The development marks a significant medical milestone for the incarcerated former leader, whose legal team has previously raised concerns about his health status during ongoing judicial proceedings. Prison authorities have coordinated with medical staff to ensure appropriate security measures throughout the hospitalization period.

  • Russia and DPRK implement comprehensive strategic partnership treaty

    Russia and DPRK implement comprehensive strategic partnership treaty

    In a significant diplomatic development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has affirmed the successful implementation of a groundbreaking comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with North Korea, marking a new era in bilateral relations between the two nations. The Russian leader conveyed his sentiments through an official congratulatory telegram addressed to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, emphasizing the treaty’s role in substantially expanding productive cooperation across multiple domains including political affairs, economic trade, and humanitarian initiatives.

    President Putin particularly highlighted the heroic contributions of Korean People’s Army personnel during the liberation of Russia’s Kursk region, characterizing their military participation and subsequent demining operations conducted by North Korean sappers on Russian territory as tangible evidence of the “unwavering friendship and brotherhood in combat” shared between Moscow and Pyongyang.

    The foundation of this strengthened alliance was formally established on June 19, 2024, during President Putin’s official state visit to Pyongyang, where both nations signed the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. This new pact, which possesses an open-ended duration without expiration, effectively supersedes the previous bilateral agreement on friendship, good neighborliness, and cooperation that had been in effect since the year 2000.

    The upgraded treaty signifies a substantial deepening of diplomatic and military ties between Russia and North Korea, potentially altering regional security dynamics and representing a notable shift in the geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia and beyond.

  • LETTER TO THE EDITOR – Why CARICOM has failed: A call to action

    LETTER TO THE EDITOR – Why CARICOM has failed: A call to action

    A deepening diplomatic rift among Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders reveals alarming fractures within the regional bloc, exposing fundamental weaknesses in its governance structure. The current tensions—stemming from divergent positions on Venezuela relations, responses to US military presence in Caribbean waters, and recent US visa restrictions affecting Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica—highlight a critical juncture for the organization.

    The public exchange between Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar transcends mere diplomatic sparring. It reflects broader systemic failures that have plagued CARICOM since its 1973 establishment through the Treaty of Chaguaramas. Originally conceived to foster economic integration, coordinate foreign policy, and promote functional cooperation among newly independent states, the community now grapples with inconsistent implementation, poor coordination, and perceptions of political interference in domestic affairs.

    Historical context reveals this crisis has been decades in the making. The 1989 Grand Anse Declaration that launched the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) has yielded uneven results, with persistent barriers to labor mobility and divergent national regulations. The seminal 1992 West Indian Commission report ‘A Time for Action’ identified these structural weaknesses, yet most challenges remain unresolved today.

    Subsequent reviews, including a 2012 examination of the CARICOM Secretariat and Jamaica’s Golding Report, documented identical problems: weak compliance mechanisms, implementation failures, and an intergovernmental model lacking enforcement authority. These reports recommended stronger institutional processes and decision-making efficiency but were never formally adopted.

    Current tensions reflect growing perceptions of imbalance within the community. Many observe disproportionate benefits flowing to Trinidad and Tobago compared to Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members, while development gaps widen between resource-rich Guyana and less developed CARICOM nations. These disparities, compounded by resource limitations at the Secretariat and policy coordination gaps, have eroded mutual trust.

    The situation mirrors challenges faced by other integration projects. The European Union’s experience with internal divisions during the financial crisis and Ukraine conflict led to comprehensive structural assessments. CARICOM now requires a similarly candid independent evaluation addressing competitiveness, governance, and equity concerns while reaffirming commitments to mutual respect and non-interference.

    As CARICOM approaches its 50th anniversary, the organization must confront its structural limitations or risk the fate of the failed West Indies Federation. The warning of Dr. Eric Williams—’one from ten leaves nought’—serves as a poignant reminder that without genuine unity, regional integration remains an unfulfilled promise.

  • PM Drew announces major training and capacity-building push for SKNDF in 2026

    PM Drew announces major training and capacity-building push for SKNDF in 2026

    The St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) is poised for a comprehensive transformation in 2026 following Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew’s announcement of an ambitious training and capacity-building initiative. Speaking at the Annual SKNDF Christmas Luncheon on December 23, 2025, the Prime Minister and Minister of National Security revealed strategic plans to enhance the military organization’s capabilities through both regional cooperation and infrastructure investment.

    The modernization effort follows a thorough assessment conducted by the Regional Security System (RSS), which identified significant potential within the SKNDF while noting specific gaps in specialized operational areas. “Modern security challenges demand professionalism, technical competence, and strong leadership at every level,” Dr. Drew emphasized. “A well-disciplined Force must also be a well-trained Force.”

    A cornerstone of this initiative involves strengthened military diplomacy with Guyana. Prime Minister Drew has engaged directly with both Guyanese leadership and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to deepen longstanding ties through a forthcoming Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement will facilitate advanced training programs, leadership development, and operational cooperation aligned with regional and international best practices.

    Concurrent with training enhancements, the government is investing substantially in defense infrastructure, including building renovations, vehicle fleet upgrades, and expanded medical capabilities. The Prime Minister personally recognized exceptional personnel during the event, commissioning Second Lieutenant Lakeem Crosse and honoring Private Dion Burke as Soldier of the Year and Shaquille Fredericks as Sailor of the Year.

    Dr. Drew concluded with a powerful affirmation to defense personnel: “Your service matters. Discipline matters, your readiness matters. The nation sees your value and values you, and is committed to supporting you, as you carry out your solemn duty as soldiers and defenders of your homeland.”

  • ABEC’s Christmas Message 2025

    ABEC’s Christmas Message 2025

    In a special Christmas address to the nation, the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission has issued a compelling call for democratic participation while extending seasonal greetings to all citizens. The message, delivered by Commission Chairman H.E. Arthur G. B. Thomas on behalf of the electoral body, emphasized the fundamental importance of collective responsibility in preserving democratic institutions.

    The communication expressed profound appreciation for the cooperation demonstrated by citizens, political party members, and independent candidates throughout 2025. The Commission highlighted that public confidence in electoral mechanisms serves as the essential foundation for the nation’s democratic framework, with national strength deriving from informed civic engagement and respect for electoral integrity.

    Looking toward the upcoming year, the Commission outlined specific initiatives crucial for maintaining electoral efficiency. Officials urged eligible voters to participate proactively in the Voter Identification Card Renewal Programme and the Continuing Registration Programme, rather than waiting until election announcements create last-minute rushes. This forward-looking approach, the Commission noted, ensures streamlined processes and preserves the sanctity of the electoral system.

    Reaffirming its institutional commitment, the Electoral Commission pledged ongoing dedication to transparency, service excellence, and operational integrity. The message concluded with an expression of anticipation for continued collaborative efforts to strengthen the nation’s democratic heritage in the coming year.

  • FLASH : The CEP has just published the revised electoral calendar in the Moniteur

    FLASH : The CEP has just published the revised electoral calendar in the Moniteur

    Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has formally released a comprehensive electoral calendar outlining the roadmap for the nation’s critical 2026 elections. Published in the official gazette Le Moniteur, this detailed schedule follows the December 1st publication of the Electoral Decree by the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT).

    The meticulously structured calendar spans from November 2025 through January 2027, encompassing all phases of the electoral process. Key milestones include the commencement of election campaigning on May 19, 2026, leading to the first round of combined legislative and presidential voting on August 30, 2026. Preliminary results for the initial round are scheduled for publication on October 3, 2026, with a potential second round slated for December 6, 2026. The final election results are projected to be announced on January 7, 2027.

    However, the CEP has explicitly conditioned the feasibility of this timeline on two critical prerequisites. First, the council emphasized the necessity of establishing an ‘acceptable security environment’ throughout Haiti’s territory. Currently, 23 communes across multiple departments remain under the control of armed groups, significantly complicating electoral logistics and operational safety.

    Second, the electoral body highlighted the imperative of securing adequate financial resources. The council noted that organizing elections in Haiti requires simultaneously addressing multiple emergencies while ensuring swift operational capabilities across all regions.

    Notably, the published electoral decree contains two significant amendments not originally approved by the CEP. These include provisions barring individuals subject to UN sanctions from candidacy and specifications regarding 10 Departmental Vote Tabulation Offices (BTVD).

    The comprehensive calendar outlines 28 distinct electoral activities, including voter registration from April to June 2026, candidate registration in April-May 2026, and extensive recruitment processes for electoral staff throughout the spring and summer of 2026.

  • Dominica Freedom Party Christmas Message

    Dominica Freedom Party Christmas Message

    Bernard Hurtault, Political Leader of the Dominica Freedom Party, has delivered a poignant Christmas message framing the holiday as a metaphor for national redemption. In his address, Hurtault articulated deep concerns about the erosion of Dominica’s cultural soul while expressing unwavering faith in its resilience.

    The political leader identified multiple symptoms of social deterioration, including political corruption, blatant favoritism, escalating violence, reckless disregard for traffic safety, and widespread neglect of communal rules. These phenomena, he suggested, indicate a troubling fragmentation of the island’s foundational values.

    Despite these challenges, Hurtault emphasized witnessing daily manifestations of Dominica’s enduring spirit. He cited pre-dawn market vendors radiating warmth and dignity, spontaneous camaraderie among citizens in airports, respectful youth proudly wearing school uniforms, and elderly constituents offering heartfelt encouragement. These moments, he described, reveal the persistent heartbeat of Dominican identity.

    Hurtault positioned Dominica as possessing rare qualities in an increasingly superficial world—a place where life maintains balance between labor and wonder, effort and joy, survival and celebration. He framed the preservation of this unique civilization as both a national imperative and a potential global exemplar of humane society.

    The DFP leader concluded with a Christmas-inspired call to action, urging citizens to reject cynicism and recommit to shared values of compassion, humility, and distinctive Dominican identity. He pledged his party’s commitment to walking this path alongside citizens, invoking both Christian guidance and cultural pride as sustaining forces for the nation’s journey forward.

  • Trinidad government warns of using drones illegally to acquire photos of US military installations and equipment

    Trinidad government warns of using drones illegally to acquire photos of US military installations and equipment

    The Trinidad and Tobago government has issued a stern condemnation of unauthorized drone operations near critical national infrastructure, escalating tensions over perceived surveillance of U.S. military assets. The Ministry of Defence expressed grave concern regarding drone activity within restricted airspace surrounding Piarco International Airport and ANR Robinson International Airport, explicitly linking these incursions to attempts to photograph American military installations.

    Official investigations have confirmed that drones penetrated the mandatory five-kilometer no-fly zones around both airports—directly contradicting claims that operators maintained legal distances. The Ministry emphasized the catastrophic aviation risks posed by such reckless operations, warning that drone-aircraft collisions could potentially cause mass casualties.

    This security alert follows the Trinidad Guardian’s publication of aerial photographs depicting what appeared to be a temporary military compound containing utility vehicles, portable structures, and sanitation facilities within a restricted zone. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar subsequently clarified that the images merely showed “support offices” for a U.S. radar system operational on the island.

    The Prime Minister vehemently dismissed characterization of the site as a military base while simultaneously accusing opposition parties and media outlets of obsessively seeking the removal of American assets. She asserted that only drug traffickers would benefit from diminished surveillance capabilities, explicitly connecting border security to narcotics interdiction efforts.

    In a striking rhetorical shift, Persad-Bissessar adopted the term “narco trafficker” when referencing Venezuela’s administration—aligning with U.S. allegations against President Nicolás Maduro while denying involvement in any regime change initiatives. The government maintains that U.S. presence relates exclusively to radar infrastructure and airport roadway projects, not military operations targeting neighboring Venezuela.

  • Democrats demand probe into Caribbean boat strikes

    Democrats demand probe into Caribbean boat strikes

    A significant political confrontation is unfolding in Washington as Democratic legislators formally request a criminal investigation into the Trump administration’s military operations in the Caribbean. Congressmen Ted Lieu and Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, have dispatched a detailed letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging the Department of Justice to examine lethal strikes against suspected narco-trafficking vessels as potential violations of both federal law and international warfare protocols.

    The controversy centers on a September 2, 2025 incident where U.S. forces initially struck a small vessel in international waters near Venezuela, followed by a subsequent attack on two survivors clinging to wreckage. The lawmakers characterize the entire Caribbean operation as fundamentally unlawful, noting Congress never authorized military force against Venezuela and that a boat moving toward Suriname presented no clear danger to United States security.

    Legal experts point to deliberate targeting of incapacitated individuals as a clear breach of the Department of Defense’s Law of War Manual, which explicitly prohibits attacks on persons rendered helpless by shipwreck. The legislators argue such conduct could constitute criminal liability under either the War Crimes Act or federal murder statutes, depending on the administration’s claimed legal framework.

    The situation has escalated with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offering what critics describe as ‘shifting and contradictory’ explanations for the September incident, including references to the ‘fog of war’ and assertions that he neither delegated nor personally issued orders to target survivors. Legal scholars across the ideological spectrum, including conservative John Yoo—author of the controversial Office of Legal Counsel ‘torture memos’—have reportedly concluded the administration violated both federal law and the law of war.

    Parallel concerns emerged from the Senate floor where Senator Peter Welch raised alarms about Trump’s mobilization of National Guard troops, warships, and fighter jets to the Caribbean. Welch urged congressional enforcement of the War Powers Act, warning that the military buildup appears aimed at regime change in Venezuela rather than legitimate drug interdiction efforts. The administration faces mounting pressure to provide transparency regarding attacks that have resulted in nearly 100 fatalities, with officials declining to release classified video evidence of the controversial strikes.

  • Agri Minister denies Azruddin Mohamed’s suggestions that house probably built with dirty money

    Agri Minister denies Azruddin Mohamed’s suggestions that house probably built with dirty money

    Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has issued a formal rebuttal against corruption allegations made by opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed, who suggested the minister’s substantial residential property was funded through illicit means. The political confrontation emerged publicly on December 24, 2025, highlighting ongoing tensions between government and opposition figures.

    Minister Mustapha categorically denied the accusations through an official statement, explaining that his Bloomfield, Berbice residence was financed exclusively through legitimate banking arrangements and personal savings. “I hereby declare that the construction of the said house was funded and financed exclusively through a mortgage obtained from Demerara Bank Limited and personal savings accumulated through lawful employment,” the minister asserted. He further emphasized his compliance with transparency protocols, confirming he remains current with all declarations to Guyana’s Integrity Commission.

    The allegations originated from Mohamed, leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, who questioned how a government minister earning less than GY$1.2 million monthly could afford custom architectural features and luxury finishes. Mohamed contrasted the property’s current state with its condition four years prior, describing it previously as a “simple, wooden structure” comparable to neighboring homes. He additionally highlighted infrastructure disparities, noting the street containing the minister’s residence appeared uniquely developed compared to surrounding underdeveloped roads.

    Minister Mustapha defended his 35-year political career, referencing his service as parliamentarian, Regional Chairman for Region 6, and minister since 2020 as evidence of his commitment to ethical public service. The minister also addressed allegations concerning his son Javed Mustapha, characterizing Mohamed’s criticisms as a “personal vendetta” stemming from the younger Mustapha’s dissociation from the opposition leader due to alleged unethical conduct.

    While declaring reluctance to engage in “tit-for-tat” exchanges, Minister Mustapha revealed he has engaged legal counsel to explore defamation proceedings against Mohamed. The minister characterized the opposition leader’s statements as “completely untrue, fallacious, and devoid of merit,” alleging they were designed to damage his reputation and political standing.

    Mohamed’s criticisms extended beyond individual allegations to systemic concerns, suggesting the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration enables public officials to “rapidly accumulate immense wealth through corrupt means.” The opposition leader called attention to international observers, particularly urging US, British, and Canadian authorities to monitor what he characterized as exploitation of public office for personal enrichment.

    The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Mohamed’s own legal challenges, including an ongoing extradition request from United States authorities addressing wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering charges in Florida federal court.