Belize Aligns with CARICOM as Venezuela Faces Political Upheaval

Belize has spent the past four months closely watching a buildup of military assets in the southern Caribbean. Early Saturday morning, military operations in Venezuela culminated in the removal of President Nicolas Maduro. In response, Belize is aligning with the Bureau of CARICOM Heads of Government and pledging to keep working with regional partners on what this shift could mean for the hemisphere. Officials are urging restraint and respect for international law, calling for a constructive dialogue that restores constitutional order and reflects the will of Venezuelans. Belize also reiterates its commitment to a “Zone of Peace” in the region, even as events next door test how that principle plays out on the ground. And for Belizean families watching anxiously, the government says all students who had been studying in Venezuela are safe back home. As this story develops, key questions remain: What does regional stability look like when constitutional norms are challenged? How far should CARICOM and its members go to defend the rule of law without deepening the crisis? And what are the potential ripple effects for Belize’s security, economy, and diplomacy if Venezuela’s turmoil drags on? In related news, the UN Security Council convened this morning, where Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo addressed world leaders.

 

Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary General, UN

“We meet at a grave time following the 3 January United States military action in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The broad outlines of the events of Saturday have been widely reported. Early that day, US forces were active across Caracas and in the northern states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. The extent of casualties resulting from these actions remains undetermined. In a statement on social media on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced the conduct of a “large scale strike against Venezuela, and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro”. During a press conference on Saturday, President Trump stated: “We are going to run the country until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. The Government of Venezuela has characterized the United States action as a military aggression carried out in civilian and military areas, and as a flagrant violation of the Charter, posing a threat to international and regional peace and security. As we speak, President Maduro is being held in New York accused by US authorities, along with his wife Cilia Flores, of serious criminal offenses. What is less certain is the immediate future of Venezuela. I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted.”