Ralph Gonsalves has voiced concern over rising tensions between the US and Venezuela, warning that the situation threatens peace and stability across the wider Caribbean and Latin America.
Describing the developments as “most unhelpful to peace and stability in our Caribbean and Latin America”, the prime minister called for restraint on all sides.
“Saint Vincent and Grenadines calls for the scaling back of actions and rhetoric which are so inimical to cordial neighbourly relations,” he told the UNGA.
Particularly alarming, he noted, was the “foreign militarisation of the waters around Venezuela”, which he said was “exceedingly troubling”. “Repeatedly, the countries of the Caribbean and Latin America have unanimously declared our area is a zone of peace,” he asserted.
“By all means, let us cooperate in combating drug trafficking and allied transnational criminal activities. But the unilateral militarisation is decidedly not the way to go.”
