US aggression toward Venezuela threatens regional peace

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The recent aggression by the United States against Venezuela – including the alarming presence of a nuclear submarine in our hemisphere – is a stark and dangerous provocation. For the CARICOM and OAS member states, this development is not just disturbing; it is a direct threat to our collective security and stability.

The last time nuclear confrontation dominated global discourse was during the Cuban Missile Crisis over 60 years ago. Are we truly prepared to return to that era of fear and uncertainty?

Rather than escalating tensions, I urge that a diplomatic solution be immediately pursued. A formal agreement with the Venezuelan government should be struck, allowing them to patrol and secure their own territory to stem the flow of illicit drugs. This is a sovereign right and a practical approach that avoids foreign military interference.

As a former awardee of the US Embassy in Jamaica’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Essay Competition (ages 14–16 category), I believe in the power of dialogue, justice, and peace. In that spirit, I now call upon the United States Embassy in Jamaica to facilitate and support open discourse among regional leaders and stakeholders to chart a peaceful and cooperative way forward.

Our Caribbean region has long been a beacon of peace. But unchecked aggression risks turning our shores into the frontlines of a needless conflict. We must act swiftly and wisely to prevent this peaceful region from becoming the battleground of a new war.

ABDE LEE

Basseterre

St Kitts and Nevis