Antigua & Barbuda's Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, has declared that any fight against drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea must rest on international cooperation and law, making reference to recent US airstrikes on boats from Venezuela.
US President Donald Trump has cast the strikes, which have reportedly killed 17 since they began this month, as needed to stop the flow of fentanyl and other illegal narcotics into the United States.
But, addressing the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Mr Browne said interdictions should proceed only under clear legal authority and rules of engagement that minimise risk to life, respect for sovereignty and the law of the sea, and prompt information-sharing and review.
He said, while, Antigua & Barbuda stands ready to work with all partners against traffickers, it is concerned about the build-up of military assets, including a nuclear submarine, in the region, indicating the possibility of military conflict.
CARICOM foreign ministers have written to the United States, calling for Washington to provide an assurance that any any military action aimed at Venezuela will not threaten regional stability or occur without prior consultation and warning.
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