During my teenage years, watching National Geographic episodes on the animal kingdom was a favourite pastime. The power of hope, love and survival of the fittest was a common theme, no matter the continent featured. So too were stories of the savagery of apex predators.
This contrast was emblematic of how the balance of nature was maintained in the jungles and great seas. Similar themes can be found in the world of diplomacy; except in these quarters, some predators and their prey can be “friends” if their interests, values and goals align. In this type of Serengeti, “the truth” about who suffers and who dies, who faces war instead of peace, is not always what meets the naked eye.
It is here that I turn to the Caribbean Sea, which has seen a buildup of U.S. military assets. Of note is the arrival of the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier, the largest warship in the world, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, and an estimated 10,000 soldiers.
The target? Drug traffickers! At least this is what was stated on the record for public eyes and ears by U.S. President Donald Trump. Under his command, there have been at least 14 strikes on vessels allegedly leaving Venezuela with drugs.
Notably, the first strike was conducted on September 2, 2025. Coincidentally, this is less than one month after it became known to the public that China was developing oil fields in Venezuela under a rare 20-year pact. According to a Reuters report on August 24, 2025, China Concord Resources Corp, a private company, plans to invest over US$1 billion in a project to produce 60,000 barrels per day of crude oil by end-2026.
It is crucial to note that China has been an important ally for Venezuela, buying more than 90 percent of its crude for years. That foothold in the Spanish-speaking nation is now expanding. The U.S. has taken note.
While some observers in the U.S. support President Trump’s war on drugs, over in the Caribbean community, leaders are either divided or silent.
Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, expressed her concerns at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. There, the Prime Minister said the build-up of assets in the Caribbean Sea, along with Venezuela’s counter-response, increases the risk of an accident that could bring harm to neighbouring states.
For her counterpart, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, there seems to be peace of mind. Persad-Bissessar used the opportunity at the 80th session to praise the U.S. for its stance, stating that it helps stem the tide of syndicate gangs and illegal migration. Just recently, the TT PM welcomed the USS Gravely, a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, in Port of Spain waters on October 25, a move that deepened a diplomatic row with Venezuela.
The mixed emotions about the Caribbean Sea serving as the launch pad for unrest in this region are not misplaced. If we have learnt anything at all from the Russia-Ukraine debacle is that war sets us back. As men, women and children perish, economies face years of disruption; gains made in education, health, food and energy security are undone or come to a halt. Wars, just like natural disasters, leave behind a trail of destruction, directly affecting those in the line of fire and indirectly hampering those nations on the periphery. Recognising all aspects of this perilous calamity is critical in this conversation about the threat of war that looms.
Even as we give due recognition to the aforementioned, we should harbour no illusions about the threat that exists to Guyana in the form of Nicolas Maduro–a desperado who cosplays as a legitimate president while showing contempt for international law. Guyanese remember that this is the same man who held a referendum to whitewash his spurious claim over the Essequibo region.
The U.S. now has some of its most frightening military artillery trained on Maduro. Ironically, this illegitimate president now cries, “Not war, not war, not war, just peace!” It is the same peace that Guyana has called for repeatedly despite years of threats and provocation by the Maduro regime.
As established in my introduction, the “truth” about decisions made in the world of diplomacy is not always black and white. In this Serengeti, each country can contribute to what the new world order should look like, but ultimately, it is those turning the wheels of hard power that get to define the limit of what is possible for each state.
Even with soft power, Caribbean leaders have a responsibility to their people to continuously work the corridors of diplomacy while holding steadfast to their shared values that speak to the protection of human rights and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries.
The threat of war may be looming in our waters, but we must resist the urge to become enemies amongst ourselves. Our soft power has always entailed being champions for peaceful dispute resolution and the protection of humanity. We can’t afford to betray our history, the legitimacy of our voice, and disappoint future generations who will ask: what role did you play in all of this?