ORANJESTAD – The Netherlands has temporarily halted operational cooperation with the United States in counter-narcotics operations beyond territorial waters. Dutch Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans made the announcement in Aruba, stating that the Netherlands will limit its efforts to drug enforcement within its own territorial waters and will not participate in U.S.-led operations on the high seas.
The decision follows the United States’ choice to pursue a unilateral, military approach in the region. As a result, the Netherlands is not taking part in the U.S. operation known as Southern Spear and will not provide facilities or assets for that mission.
Within its own waters, the Netherlands will continue to combat drug trafficking through law enforcement measures such as detection, arrest, and prosecution. This approach, Brekelmans emphasized, does not include disabling or sinking vessels.
The move marks a clear break from past practice. For many years, the Netherlands and the United States conducted joint counter-drug operations beyond territorial waters, including within the framework of the U.S.-led Joint Interagency Task Force South. Dutch naval vessels regularly operated in international waters alongside the U.S. Coast Guard, often deploying boarding teams from the Royal Netherlands Navy.
According to Brekelmans, the Netherlands will maintain dialogue with Washington on security matters and information sharing. However, operational participation in U.S. actions on the high seas is excluded as long as those operations fall outside a shared legal framework.
The minister also stressed that there is no immediate military threat to Aruba, Curaçao, or Bonaire. Existing security measures and planned reinforcements in the Caribbean will continue as scheduled, he said, underscoring that the safety of the islands remains a priority for the Dutch government.