THE HAGUE – There is currently no acute threat to Aruba, Bonaire, or Curaçao as a result of rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela in the Caribbean, according to outgoing Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans. He made the statement on Wednesday during a debate in the House of Representatives on intelligence services.
While emphasizing that there is no immediate danger, Brekelmans acknowledged that the situation could have indirect consequences for the islands, particularly in terms of imports and potential migration flows. He said that the Dutch Ministry of Defense is therefore taking precautionary measures to ensure preparedness.
Brekelmans also stressed that the Netherlands is not involved in U.S. military actions in the region. He noted that while U.S. forces have been intercepting and firing upon Venezuelan boats suspected of criminal activity, American authorities are not permitted to use Kingdom of the Netherlands facilities for such operations.
“I do not make statements about what intelligence we share, but from what I am saying, conclusions can be drawn,” Brekelmans told Parliament. He added that Dutch defense and intelligence services are closely analyzing military movements and capabilities on both the Venezuelan and U.S. sides in order to assess what potential implications the situation may have for the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
The minister’s remarks come amid heightened regional attention following increased U.S. military activity and security warnings affecting air and maritime traffic in the southern Caribbean.