WILLEMSTAD – The Netherlands is quietly confronting a complex legal and diplomatic challenge as the United States intensifies military operations against Venezuelan vessels, raising questions about international law, sovereignty and the Kingdom’s long-standing cooperation with U.S. forces in the Caribbean.
According to a parliamentary briefing, Dutch officials have repeatedly asked Washington to clarify the legal basis for its recent strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats—attacks that have resulted in dozens of fatalities. So far, Washington has provided no satisfactory explanation.
This places the Kingdom in a precarious position. On the one hand, the Netherlands supports strong action against transnational crime and has allowed U.S. forces to operate out of the Forward Operating Location (FOL) on Curaçao for decades. On the other hand, the government is obligated under international law to avoid complicity in actions that could violate the laws of armed conflict or infringe on another nation’s sovereignty.
D66, GroenLinks-PvdA and DENK openly urged the government to condemn the U.S. strikes, noting that “the fight against drugs does not give carte blanche to kill at sea.” Several MPs questioned whether continued intelligence-sharing with the U.S. could expose the Kingdom to legal liability.
Ministers pushed back, saying the U.S. actions cannot be fully assessed without complete information, which Washington has not provided. They reiterated that the Netherlands is not participating in the American operations and has issued formal calls for de-escalation.
The diplomatic balancing act is further complicated by the Kingdom’s responsibility to safeguard Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. Dutch military officials assert that the islands are not at immediate risk but confirm that various contingency plans—ranging from evacuation logistics to reinforcement schedules—are being regularly updated.
Legal scholars consulted by Parliament warn that the Caribbean is at risk of becoming an unregulated battlespace if the U.S.–Venezuela confrontation intensifies. They argue that the Kingdom must take a firmer public stance to preserve its reputation as a defender of international law.
For Curaçao, the issue is especially sensitive. The island hosts U.S. aircraft and intelligence operations, making it a potential geopolitical flashpoint even if hostilities remain limited. Local leaders have already called for greater transparency from The Hague to prevent panic and misinformation.
As the conflict evolves, the Kingdom finds itself caught between alliance obligations and democratic principles—forced to navigate one of the most delicate foreign policy dilemmas the Caribbean has seen in decades.