Caribbean Crossroads: Maduro’s War Talk and Why It’s Time to Rally Behind Guyana
Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
The Escalation We Can’t Ignore
This week, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro took the region by surprise…again. In an explosive press conference, he accused Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of threatening attacks on Venezuelan soil, calling her remarks “crazy” and likening them to a declaration of war.
“She went crazy because she was threatening that she was going to authorize attacks from Trinidad and Tobago against Venezuela… That is like declaring war,” Maduro claimed.
But this wasn’t just another fiery Maduro soundbite. Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López backed it up with a not-so-veiled threat: any perceived attack from Trinidad or Guyana would be met with a "legitimate response."
Let that sink in.
Guyana, the peaceful, democratic nation currently defending its territorial integrity through the International Court of Justice, is being threatened with military retaliation for simply existing in line with international law.
This Isn’t Just About Venezuela and Trinidad… It’s About Us All
What’s unfolding here isn’t just a bilateral spat. It’s part of a larger campaign by the Venezuelan regime to intimidate the region and forcibly reclaim Guyana’s Essequibo region, a territory that lawfully belongs to Guyana under the 1899 Arbitral Award and upheld through decades of legal precedent and peaceful governance.
By dragging Trinidad into the ring and painting Caribbean allies as U.S. puppets, Maduro is trying to isolate Guyana and cast its defenders as warmongers.
But make no mistake:
Guyana is not the aggressor. Guyana is the defender.
Essequibo is not up for negotiation. It is part of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Caribbean Unity Is the Only Real Deterrent
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar’s reaffirmation of support for regional defense and U.S.-led counter-trafficking efforts is not a “threat”, it’s leadership. And Maduro’s tantrums only reveal how fragile his narrative has become.
When smaller nations stand firm for truth, authoritarian regimes tremble.
This moment demands Caribbean solidarity, not Caribbean silence.
If Venezuela is allowed to fabricate threats, bully its neighbors, and redraw maps without consequence, no border in the region is truly safe. Essequibo is the test case. And if we fail this test, we open the door to far greater instability.
Essequibo Is Guyana: A Call to Regional Conscience
Essequibo is not just a contested zone, it is home to communities, culture, and a future that Guyana has nurtured for over a century.
Maduro’s latest outburst only reinforces the need for every CARICOM member, every civil society voice, and every responsible global actor to reaffirm these facts:
Essequibo belongs to Guyana under international law.
Guyana is acting with discipline and restraint.
Venezuela’s threats are reckless and illegal.
A Final Word: Caribbean Courage Is the Real Story
The question isn’t just about how Guyana will respond.
The real question is this:
Will the Caribbean stand up for Guyana? Will we stand up for truth?
If we believe in peace, sovereignty, and justice, not as slogans, but as principles, then this is our moment to show it.
Let us speak clearly, act wisely, and stand together. Because if Essequibo falls, we all do.
