Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds has raised serious alarm that recent US military strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking may have bypassed due process and risk setting a dangerous precedent.
Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump announced that the US military had struck what he claimed was a Venezuelan drug cartel vessel en route to the United States, killing three men. This follows a previous strike this month that killed 11.
In an interview with Barbados TODAY late Tuesday, Symmonds said that while the Caribbean appreciates US support in intercepting suspected drug traffickers, concern has escalated “since the conduct of the two military strikes on vessels in the region’s waters”.
“This, as far as I am concerned, is a matter that ought to be treated to in the context of a discussion about preserving the rule of law. I believe that most people in this region would agree that we would much prefer to see suspected criminals being identified and interdicted,” he said.
The minister contended that that is the customary standard of conduct followed in both the US and in every country in this region.
“Folks who are suspected are usually arrested, tried, and if convicted, then they are sentenced,” Symmonds argued. “It is a dangerous and very slippery slope for all of us, if we choose to follow a path where we arbitrarily determine that circumstances point to guilt and that therefore an assassination should take place.”
He reasoned that in no Caribbean country is there any practice of suspects being executed without any reference to what those facing the execution may have to say in their own defence.
“If any innocent people, whether from a Caribbean country or from the United States or any other country, happen to be targeted and accidentally killed in this way, then we will have a most difficult and disastrous incident to contend with,” Symmonds warned.
“It is for that very essential reason that I feel that dialogue is necessary. We cannot seek to uphold the rule of law and be seen to be desecrating it at the same time.
“This is a deeply troubling issue that is crying out for careful consideration.”
Barbados and other regional foreign ministers, in a recent joint letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called for assurances that any military action targeting Venezuela will not jeopardise regional stability or be undertaken unilaterally without prior consultation.
Earlier this month, Symmonds told Barbados TODAY that the correspondence emphasised the need for advance notice, where feasible, of actions likely to affect the region, and for ongoing review of the diplomatic dialogue between Caribbean states and Washington. He acknowledged that while certain operations may be classified or legally restricted, a more robust exchange is essential to avoid misunderstandings and to reinforce mutual trust.
As of Tuesday, Symmonds confirmed that he and his Caribbean counterparts were still awaiting a formal response.
“I can confirm that the letter to the US Secretary of State was sent off. We have received no formal response as yet,” he shared.
US officials say the deployment of warships targets threats from Latin American drug cartels, a core objective of President Trump and part of a wider effort to stem migration and close the US southern border.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
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