Caribbean Review: Grenadians push against American military proposal
The Trump administration has requested Grenada’s government to allow the U.S. military to set up a radar base on the island to monitor nearby Venezuela as tensions rise between the nations. As Grenada’s government considers the request, activists and authorities call for regulation to allow Grenada to avoid a coming war.
The Invasion Of Grenada
On October 25, 1983, President Ronald Reagan’s administration invaded Grenada under the codename Operation Urgent Fury. The Reagan administration said that their invasion was in response to Maurice Bishop and his establishing of the People’s Revolutionary Government in Grenada.
Bishop and his reformed government wanted to make Grenada a Marxist-Leninist nation, but President Reagen saw this, as well as the party’s connection to Fidel Castro as a threat to democracy. The American invasion resulted in an occupation of Grenada and the installation of American-backed politicians, a similar case to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Chile, Bolivia, and the Bay of Pigs invasion attempt on Cuba. During the brief invasion 24 Grenadian civilians were killed with 18 being killed in the bombing of a mental hospital by the United States Navy. Many Grenadians remember the invasion, and the Trump administration’s requests for American military operations on Grenada have reopened these wounds.
The United States and Venezuela
The United States has formally asked the Grenadian Dickon Mitchell administration for permission to establish a radar base at Maurice Bishop International Airport. The Trump administration claims that the base is part of an anti-narcotics campaign against Venezuela by the Trump administration, but many view it as an invitation to a conflict with Venezuela. Within the last month, the United States has sent destroyers, F-16 jets, and a nuclear-class submarine to the Venezuelan coast.
Tensions have been high between the U.S. and Venezuela in recent years due to economic and political differences, exacerbated by American sanctions and American military operations. The United States claims to be concerned with Venezuela’s authoritarian government, human rights abuses, and alleged role in the drug trade. Venezuela, however, views American actions as colonial interference in its internal affairs, like a perceived attempt to destabilize the government and control Venezuelan resources.
Resistance within grenada
Leading the resistance against the base’s construction is experienced trade unionist and former Senate President Chester Humphrey. Humphrey accuses the Trump-era state department of misleading Grenadians about the true intentions of the base.
“The Americans have a history of deception before going to war,” said Humphrey. “They lied about Iraq. They lied when they invaded Grenada. This one tops them all.”
Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana have already endorsed American operations to “combat narco-trafficking”. Humphrey condemns this and says that these fellow West Indies nations have joined somebody else’s war. The U.S. has also deployed troops, aircraft, and ships to bases in Puerto Rico and other bases in the West Indies.
Venezuela has historically helped Grenada with fuel, scholarships, and post-hurricane support. Many in Grenada don’t want to betray an ally to side with the U.S., a power that invaded them.
Humphrey claimed he is prepared to lead peaceful opposition protests against the U.S. using Grenada in its war plan with Venezuela. He also argued that the U.S. shouldn’t send a nuclear armed submarine with missles, several destroyers, and an entire fleet of F-16 aircraft with advanced tomahawks to intersect fishing boats. Humphrey further asserted that this obviously presents the goal of the Americans to go to war with Venezuela and the U.S. Coast Guard is more than capable of intersecting drug boats
Last month, Venezuelan authorities announced that none of the 11 people killed in the September 2 attack that began Trump’s bombing campaign, were affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang, contrary to American claims. In the attack, a fishing boat carrying suspected drug traffickers was off the shore of Venezuela and was airstriked by American aircraft after trying to flee back to Venezuela.
“They have murdered Venezuelan citizens,” said Humphrey, referring to the Trump administration’s attacks on suspected Venezuelan drug boats.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on television that investigations showed the victims were civilians, not drug traffickers. He called the strikes murders and asked why American forces didn’t attempt to arrest the suspects if suspected narcotics were on board. In response, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered soldier deployment and defense units to hundreds of locations across the country. President Maduro also said Venezuela must be prepared for an armed fight if necessary. President Donald Trump posted a video after the explosion and said the strike eliminated 11 “narco-terrorists” and continues to support American bombings of Venezuelan boats.
President Trump also argued the attack was justified as self defense and cited Tren de Argua’s designation as a foriegn terroist organization that, along with other cartels Trump claims causes tens of thousands of American drug deaths each year. Experts have expressed how the attack can’t be defended as legal and should fall under murder. The boat reportedly turned around after seeing U.S. military aircraft, drawing further questions of how a retreating vessel could be seen as an imminent threat.
Grenada has found itself in between two regional powers gearing up for war, and the decision of whether to or to not allow an American base on their soil could have a giant impact on the country if tensions keep rising.
