Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chet Greene
Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chet Greene, has issued an urgent call for diplomatic resolution to the escalating tensions between Venezuela and the United States.
Speaking during Friday’s budget debate, Greene expressed serious concern about the United States’ military presence in the region, which includes warships deployed to Caribbean waters.
“As Venezuela goes through a daily spiel of challenges, counter-times with the US government, we from our side wish to encourage dialogue, wish to encourage that both countries come to the table, proverbial table, to engage in meaningful discussions, to resolve whatever the issues might be,” Greene told parliament.
The Foreign Minister made clear that Antigua and Barbuda’s position stands in opposition to the militarization of Caribbean waters.
“The placing of ships, warships in Caribbean waters does not accord with our own posture, our own foreign policy position, and so we call on the United States to find a way of dealing with this matter through diplomatic channels,” Greene emphasized.
Greene highlighted the particularly troubling timing of the crisis, noting that any outbreak of hostilities would strike at the heart of the Caribbean’s economic lifeline just as the region enters peak tourism season.
“If there were to be an outbreak of war or hostilities in the Caribbean Sea, we stand affected, our tourism stands affected, and what a time for that to happen,” he said.
The Foreign Minister noted that projections point to a robust winter tourism season for 2025-26, making the threat of conflict even more concerning for the nation’s economic prospects.
Greene also called on opposition members to join the government in making the call for peace a unified national position.
“I hope that the opposition will join us in making this call so it can be a national call, that we call for cessation of hostilities and for a meeting of the parties to resolve any impasse and any issues,” Greene stated.
So your worry is the tourism, and not the havoc it would cause on trade? Or the lives for that mater that would be lost directly or indirectly because of this war… Hmmm