THE HAGUE – According to the Netherlands’ caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs David van Weel, the situation in Venezuela is currently calm and the consequences of last Saturday’s U.S. action in Caracas for Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire have remained relatively limited.
In a letter to the Dutch Parliament, Van Weel stated that the temporary disruption of air traffic on Saturday had the greatest impact on the islands. He emphasized that there is no acute threat to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom at this time.
The minister noted that both the Netherlands and the Caribbean countries have been preparing for various scenarios for some time. The Ministry of Defense has units on standby that can be deployed at short notice if necessary, in addition to the approximately 800 military personnel already stationed in the region.
Van Weel also acknowledged in his letter that the U.S. operation in Venezuela raises “legitimate questions” about its compatibility with international law, but did not elaborate further on that point. Several parties in the Dutch parliament, including the VVD, have already stated that the action in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was taken into custody violates international law.
On Thursday, the Tweede Kamer will interrupt its Christmas recess to hold a committee debate with Van Weel on the developments in Venezuela. In particular, left-wing parties are calling on the Dutch government to formally condemn the U.S. action against the South American country.