Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil issued a stark warning about escalating tensions in the Caribbean during a high-stakes address at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States meeting in New York on Monday. The diplomat cautioned that recent U.S. military deployments threaten to destabilize what regional leaders have long considered a "zone of peace."
Gil emphasized that Washington's actions create risks extending beyond Venezuela's borders: "Who could imagine that an attack on our country would not affect its neighbors or the regional economy?" His remarks come amid growing concerns about foreign military presence in energy-rich Caribbean waters.
While maintaining that Venezuela holds "no dispute with the United States," Gil accused certain political factions within Washington of pushing military aggression. President Nicolás Maduro has reportedly authorized defensive measures to prevent conflict escalation, according to the foreign minister.
The diplomatic clash intensified as Gil rejected U.S. allegations linking Caracas to international drug trafficking networks, dismissing the claims as "a great lie" designed to justify external interference. The development raises questions about how regional economic partnerships and security frameworks might be impacted by growing geopolitical friction.
