The Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley is the first leader of a CARICOM state to speak fulsomely on the implications of the United States’ strike on Venezuela and the decision by President Donald Trump to now run the country after capturing President Nicolas Maduro.

Speaking in Barbados in a national address, she said, “ It is fair to say what we saw happening in Venezuela is uncharted territory. We continue to assert that small states really survive in an international law-based order. For us, we always said conflict would have consequences and we are living them out today.

“With the actions taken in Venezuela, a number of disruptions took place, primarily to our airspace, with planes coming from the United States. There are three major areas in the region, the eastern and southern  Caribbean and then Puerto Rico – four altogether in the Caribbean that effectively manage the upper flight space. But as you would appreciate, Barbados is probably the biggest tourism hub close to Venezuela so in terms of air flights, hotels and cruise accommodation, we would inevitably be affected.”

Mottley continues to demonstrate why she is the most impressive leader in the Caribbean. She is articulate and speaks from a humanitarian and intellectual framework. Where other Caribbean leaders fear speaking about this momentous action against Venezuela and don’t want to face President Trump’s ire, Mottley speaks truth to power eloquently. 

She has testicular fortitude where all her male counterparts do not.

She went on to say it is still early days for CARICOM to issue a statement as the position keeps changing but she does expect the regional body to do so.

Prime Minister Mottley continued: “Let me be very clear, the United States is our friend, so too is Venezuela. In fact, in both instances, we have family relatives in both countries. By the same token, the Caribbean community has been the entity that we have chosen as a matter of first principle to align our foreign policy with.

“In that regard, we took a decision to wait for other information to become present and when that happens, we (CARICOM) will certainly act collectively and I don’t want in any way to prejudice the integrity of that consultative process with CARICOM.

“Having said that, our principles are very clear that small states and by small I don’t mean as small as Barbados, even those larger than Barbados, can only survive in an international rules based order. Anything that happens contrary to that would be of grave concern to us as a people in Barbados but equally as to the region, so without prejudice, I will await further consultation on the specifics of this incident.

“We are dealing with the consequences of the conflict and those consequences have been exceedingly disruptive to both our points of entry, the Grantley Adams International Airport  and the Bridgetown Port and to that extent, there are human realities because these disruptions have meant that people have been affected.”

It is clear that there is now a new world order where international rules do not apply. President Donald Trump has declared the United States will now run Venezuela and take control of its oil. He is not bound by any law anywhere. He may even annex Venezuela to the United States, making its people United States citizens after claiming its territory.

The Caribbean may be disgruntled, even fearful but it can do nothing about it but watch. As a good friend said, the United States is the Galactic Empire with its Death Star keeping the region in line.  Any dissenting island may find itself invaded and taken over by the United States.

Addressing President Trump’s proclamations, Prime Minister Mottley said, “ We are hoping and praying there is a deescalation of conflict because as I have said over and over, escalation, conflict and war does not serve anyone’s interest and Barbados has always held the position where there can be dialogue, where there can be conversation, let us have it and let us see where we can find a common place.

“The truth is that is where the U.N.  system also exists, and I fully anticipate they too will have to have a ventilation of these issues.”

Many countries across the world see what Trump did in Venezuela as a breach of international law. The world right now is a dangerous, perilous place. It is difficult for the US to place itself in both Russia and China’s internal and foreign affairs after taking over Venezuela.

“We are facing firsthand how conflict can affect not only people’s lives but their livelihoods in the eastern and southern Caribbean.

“While Barbados is not the closest to Venezuela, Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago are. Grenada, St Vincent and Barbados are the next line of countries after Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago. Among those five, Barbados has the biggest logistics hub for tourism. Now you begin to understand why I speak and have been speaking in the terms that I have without getting into matters that are too high for us,” said Prime Minister Mottle,y fielding questions at the press conference.