Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has written to U.S. President Donald J. Trump warning that the growing military build-up in international waters near Caribbean states threatens regional stability and could undermine the economic security of small island nations.
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In the letter, Browne called for renewed diplomatic engagement between Washington and Caracas, stressing that dialogue is essential to preventing any escalation between the United States and Venezuela in waters shared with Caribbean nations.
Browne reaffirmed the Caribbean’s longstanding designation as a Zone of Peace, saying the region has worked hard to maintain its reputation as one of the few remaining areas of calm in an increasingly volatile world.
He warned that Caribbean economies — especially those reliant on tourism — are acutely sensitive to geopolitical shocks. “A hint of armed confrontation in our waters reverberates instantly through hotel bookings, airlines, foreign investment, and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families,” he wrote. Military activity near the region, he cautioned, could cast “a long shadow” over an industry central to development across the islands.
The prime minister urged Trump to “follow your instincts which, as far as I have seen, are rooted in dialogue and negotiation,” noting that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has indicated a willingness to engage directly. Diplomacy, Browne wrote, may be slow and imperfect, but “delivers fewer sorrows than the alternatives.”
Antigua and Barbuda, he added, stands ready to support any international efforts aimed at reducing tensions and opening space for constructive negotiation. The country’s only objective, he emphasized, is the protection of regional peace and the preservation of the Caribbean as “your near-shore neighbour and long-standing friend.”
Browne closed the letter by underscoring his government’s respect for the United States and the enduring friendship between the two nations. “We value the United States as a friend and as a force for good,” he wrote, urging diplomacy to prevail.
The government said it will continue engaging regional and international partners in pursuit of peace, security, and stability throughout the Caribbean.
