Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Calls for U.S. Dialogue with Cuba and Venezuela
Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, has urged the United States to engage in open and unconditioned dialogue with Cuba and Venezuela, advocating for peaceful resolution of differences as tensions rise in the region, reports 24brussels.
Speaking at the International Colloquium “Colonialism, Neocolonialism and the Territorial Dispossessions of Western Imperialism,” Gonsalves criticized the U.S. government’s militaristic approach towards sovereign nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. He emphasized that the region should be recognized and respected as a Zone of Peace.
During his address, Gonsalves called for “principled talks” to address ongoing issues between the U.S. and these countries, arguing that historical reliance on violence to resolve conflicts is ineffective. “Every conflict that is resolved through war, is never really resolved. It must be resolved through discussion,” he stated. He supported his argument by recalling the formal declarations by both the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) emphasizing peace in the region.
The Prime Minister expressed concern over the source of weapons exacerbating violence in the Caribbean, stating, “In my country, in every country in the Caribbean, in Latin American countries, we don’t produce weapons, we don’t produce bullets. All of that comes from the United States of America.”
Gonsalves labeled U.S. policies toward Cuba and Venezuela as “absurd” and “irrational,” suggesting they are motivated by political interests, particularly in relation to electoral politics in Florida, rather than genuine concerns regarding security threats. “No one serious can think that Venezuela, with 30 million people, or Cuba, with ten million, are a threat to the United States,” he remarked, highlighting the significant disparity in military power.
He condemned the longstanding U.S. embargo on Cuba, initiated in 1961, arguing that its continuation signifies a failed policy intent on weakening the Cuban economy without achieving its objectives. “If we have a policy that has failed, why do you continue to insist on it?” he questioned, advocating for a reevaluation of U.S. foreign policy.
Gonsalves affirmed the expectation that Latin America and the Caribbean maintain their status as a Zone of Peace, characterized by the absence of armed conflict between states, even amidst ongoing criminal activities that governments are united in combating. He criticized the presumption of the U.S. to dictate the acceptable trajectory of other nations, stating, “You have arrogated to yourself the right to be the judge.”
The International Colloquium, attended by 137 delegates from 57 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa, aims to address and denounce colonialism and U.S. expansionism. The event commenced on October 2 at the Central Courtyard of the “Antonio José de Sucre” Yellow House in Caracas, seeking to strengthen a unified Caribbean identity and historical resistance.