Norton says APNU opposes US military presence in Caribbean

Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton, has expressed strong opposition to the growing United States (US) military presence in the Caribbean and waters off northern South America to combat drug trafficking in the region.

Speaking at APNU’s weekly virtual press conference on Friday, Norton was questioned about the party’s stance on the situation, given the regional debate. Norton called for the US to explore increasing resources to capture narco traffickers instead.
“I will have difficulty; the APNU will have difficulty supporting that. The rule of law should prevail both at the local level and at the international level,” Norton said.
“I do not think anybody should be bombed just because they are perceived as drug traffickers. The United States has the capacity to capture them and bring them to trial, but I cannot ever support a situation where a sovereign state bombs people in another sovereign state over so-called drug trafficking. The APNU will have difficulty supporting that.”
Norton further stressed that Guyana’s interests must remain the priority.
“The United States has its interests and will pursue its interests. We have our interests; we must pursue our interests. We are cognisant of the fact that we are a small nation and we do not have a lot of the tools at our disposal, and therefore diplomacy is what is needed at this stage,” Norton said.
“There are areas in which we have strengths; there are areas in which we have weaknesses. We know we are not a military power, but we know that in Guyana there exists the brainpower to engage and ensure our positions are understood and move forward.”
Norton’s statements underscore a growing debate in the region over the balance between countering transnational crime and protecting national sovereignty, highlighting the differing approaches among Caribbean leaders to US military involvement in regional security
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly supported these measures.
Since September, the Trump Administration has intensified its military presence in the Caribbean, signalling a significant escalation in a campaign against drug cartels and increasing tensions with Venezuela.
The US began conducting airstrikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean on September 2. Along with the most recent strike, the US has carried out 10 attacks on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, killing nearly 40 persons.
Norton’s remarks come amid Pentagon announcements on Friday that the US has dramatically escalated a military build-up in the Caribbean by deploying the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford and its strike group to the US Southern Command region, citing the need to “bolster US capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities.”
However, Venezuela, which has continually threatened Guyana’s rightful territorial integrity over the past few years, has accused the US of attempting to disrupt peace. Venezuela’s threat against Guyana has increased under current president Nicolas Maduro.
Addressing this issue earlier this month, President Dr Irfaan Ali highlighted the importance of defending sovereignty while maintaining regional peace.
“Our dispute with the Venezuelan state is not born of hatred, nor does it prevent us from seeking to advance our relations, but we will not compromise our sovereignty,” President Irfaan Ali said.
“Guyana supports the aspiration of keeping Latin America and the Caribbean a zone of peace, but equally, we support every action and embrace partnership to combat transnational crime, the illicit drug trade, and any form of destabilisation that threatens the security of Guyana and this region.”