Once again, Curaçao’s political leadership appears eager to claim credit for developments that have little to do with local policy, vision, or diplomatic skill. The recent narrative surrounding renewed tanker activity at Bullenbaai is a textbook example of what many on the island increasingly recognize as political window-dressing rather than honest governance.
According to official messaging, the return of oil tankers is being framed as a success story of foresight, strategy and diplomacy, with Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas implicitly — and at times explicitly — portrayed as a central actor. That portrayal does not withstand even minimal scrutiny.
The reality is far less flattering. The renewed activity in Bullenbaai is the direct result of shifting geopolitical forces far beyond Willemstad’s influence: a dramatic recalibration of U.S. policy toward Venezuela, changing sanction regimes, and international energy market dynamics. Curaçao is not steering this ship; it is riding the waves created elsewhere.
There is nothing wrong with benefiting from global developments. Small jurisdictions like Curaçao inevitably do. What is problematic is the political reflex to present coincidence as competence and circumstance as accomplishment. When leaders act as if they personally engineered outcomes shaped in Washington, Caracas, and global commodity markets, they insult the intelligence of the public.
This tendency to “borrow feathers” — to parade others’ achievements as one’s own — is not new. It reflects a deeper issue in Curaçao’s political culture: a preference for optics over substance. Instead of honestly explaining how external forces have created temporary opportunities, the public is served a narrative of supposed local mastery and diplomatic brilliance.
Such behavior carries risks. It creates false expectations, obscures real vulnerabilities, and discourages serious debate about what Curaçao can and cannot control. Worse, it erodes trust. Citizens know when they are being sold a story rather than the truth.
Leadership is not about appearing successful in press statements. It is about clarity, realism, and accountability. A credible government would acknowledge that Bullenbaai’s renewed relevance is a by-product of global power shifts — and then explain how Curaçao intends to responsibly manage the opportunity, mitigate risks, and ensure long-term benefit for the island.
Taking credit for events you did not influence is easy. Governing honestly in a complex geopolitical environment is harder. Curaçao deserves the latter, not the former.