Venezuela conflict “no acute threat to Caribbean”, say Dutch
The Dutch cabinet says there is “no acute threat” to the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire or Curaçao as tensions escalate between the United States and Venezuela. The islands are located just tens of kilometres from the Venzuelan coast.
Caretaker foreign affairs minister David van Weel told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday evening that the situation is being closely monitored but does not currently pose direct danger to Aruba or Curaçao, both now independent countries within the kingdom of the Netherlands, or Bonaire, which has special local authority status.
Van Weel said the government’s assessment is that even in the event of a US strike on Venezuela, the islands would not be directly targeted.
Washington has stepped up pressure on Venezuela in recent months, claiming drug trafficking is national security risk. Since September, US forces have carried out strikes on what they describe as suspected drug shipments at sea, killing at least 87 people.
Dutch MPs have questioned the legality of the strikes, with Kati Piri of GroenLinks-PvdA urging Van Weel to condemn the killings of alleged traffickers without trial.
The minister declined to do so, while acknowledging that the US has not convincingly justified the attacks as self-defence. “In our view, this would not stand up in court,” he said.
The US operates unarmed counter-narcotics aircraft from bases on Curaçao and Bonaire, but defence minister Ruben Brekelmans said these facilities have not been used for the recent strikes. He would not discuss what intelligence is shared with the US, saying the government does not comment on such matters.
The Netherlands maintains a patrol vessel in the Caribbean for maritime law enforcement, including intercepting drug traffickers, and last week said supply ship Zr Ms Den Helder would remain in the region for a longer period.
Brekelmans stressed, however, that the Dutch military presence will not be expanded in a way that could draw the Netherlands into a conflict. The US has been told that the Netherlands will not take part in military operations against Venezuela.
The biggest concern for the islands, ministers said, is a potential increase in refugee arrivals if conflict breaks out. Van Weel said most Venezuelans would likely flee overland to Colombia and Brazil, but if people attempt the sea crossing to the islands the Netherlands will need to assist. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans already live on Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
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