PM Browne Warns U.S. Against Turning Drug Bust into Military Escalation in the Caribbean

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a sharp warning that while he won’t condemn U.S. action against drug traffickers, any move toward military intervention in the region would be met with firm opposition.

Washington announced this week that it destroyed a drug boat allegedly linked to Venezuela’s Tren De Aragua gang, killing eleven people in the strike.

According to an article published in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, Browne said “If indeed it is that the US took out a boat and it involved narco-traffickers, I don’t know that anyone could condemn any such act.”

But he made it clear that Antigua and Barbuda would not tolerate a broader show of military force in the hemisphere. “When it comes to escalation of any military conflict in the region, I stand opposed to any such intervention. We want to ensure that it remains a hemisphere of peace, where all citizens can feel secure.”

Browne called on global powers to stop turning disputes into wars, insisting that only diplomacy and dialogue can solve regional tensions. “We condemn all acts of military intervention and all wars – they bring no value whatsoever to humanity.”

The Prime Minister brushed aside suggestions of CARICOM involvement if the U.S. version of events is accurate, but he warned against a slippery slope. “If, on the other hand, this is a precursor to any military intervention, then we will certainly condemn any such military conflict that may arise.”

His concern is that even limited military action in Latin America could destabilize the wider Caribbean. “Any military conflict will result in unintended consequences for the entire Caribbean… The impact of any military conflict will have a disproportionate effect on Caribbean countries that rank among the most vulnerable and least resilient in the world.”

Framing his position as more than politics, Browne cast himself as a voice for peace. “My articulations are therefore in defence of national interest, regional interest and hemispheric interest; the interest of all. I consider myself an advocate for global peace, love, unity, truth and justice – including climate justice.”