We, Caribbean advocates for equality, security and development within and between States, note with grave concern the recent incursions by the U.S. military in the Caribbean Sea.  This signifies egregious breaches in international law. It has resulted in the extrajudicial killing of at least 32 people to date - two of whom are nationals of Trinidad and Tobago.  These incursions threaten the Caribbean tourism industry by jeopardising the safety of cruise ships and sailboats; they interfere with the livelihood of fishermen and all those who depend on the sea to feed their families.  They also violate laws protecting our regional waters and the people who depend on them. They contravene the commitment of our region by our leaders, past and present, and our citizens to establish our region as a zone of peace.

Notwithstanding this commitment, earlier this month, Grenada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a ‘request’ from the American government for the temporary installation of radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport. In an official statement, the Grenadian government made the assurance that “any decision taken will be guided by Grenada’s sovereignty, public safety, and national interest, including the protection of our tourism industry, the traveling public, and the country’s economic well-being”.

Grenada should indeed seek to guard its sovereignty jealously in the face of this action by the U.S., which amounts to an exercise of power in keeping with an updated Munroe Doctrine, cloaked as a request, by arguably the most powerful state in the world, over a small island developing country. The region should oppose the insistence by the United States that the only way to halt drugs and weapons trafficking in the region, and its subsequent flow into their country, is to unilaterally arrogate to themselves the role of judge, jury and executioner in Caribbean waters, in flagrant violation of international law. What effects will the presence of American warships, drones and personnel have on the sovereignty of Caribbean States, especially in their foreign policies? How will US militarisation affect our democratic rights and freedoms?

The Caribbean already has security systems in place and some of these such as the ship-rider agreement already include working with the US.  These systems are being undermined by the current illegal buildup of massive US military assets in the region. The US has produced no concrete evidence for its claims that the boats it has attacked in the region are transporting illegal drugs and gangs. It has offered no evidence for its assertion that the region is a major transit route for narcotics. In fact, according to the UNODC, cocaine trafficking flows between 2020 and 2023 moved from the Pacific Coast of South America to North America and from South America's Atlantic Coast to Western and Central Europe. In fact, the UNDOC’s map of cocaine trafficking flows shows that the Caribbean, including Southern Caribbean where the US military is stationed, has the lowest volume of flow of drugs to North America. Additionally, Fentanyl trafficking is reported to be concentrated in North America and there is no evidence that these opioids and methamphetamines are manufactured in any of the countries of South America or the Caribbean. On the other hand, it is irrefutable that the US is the most powerful military power and the largest manufacturer and exporter of guns in the world.
 
The US has long wielded disproportionate power over the small island states of the Caribbean and its peoples. We call on our governments to strengthen our sovereignty, defend our right to peace, the livelihoods of our peoples, and our right to be safe from the consequences of militarization.

We urge the Grenadian government and people of Grenada to stand firm and refuse the US request to extend its military capacity by installing radar and technical personnel in Grenada.  
We call on Caricom to support Grenada's refusal of this request, and to stand up for our independence, knowing as we do that this may result in real costs at the hands of the US.

We recall CARICOM’s 2014 declaration of the region as a Zone of Peace, reiterated at its meeting on September 25, under the theme “Promoting Social Cohesion and Inclusive Governance to Foster Community Resilience and Sustainable Peace.” CARICOM’s reaffirmation as a Zone of Peace is not lip service but rather the bedrock on which all hope for the region's present and future sustainable, human, environmental, economic, social and cultural development rests. The Caribbean was formed through a history of genocide, slavery and indenture. It has built its sovereignty from its refusal to repeat or continue the legacies of this violence in the present.  We strongly condemn the United States’ efforts, both obvious and covert, to strong arm the region into acquiescence with measures that are inimical to peace, transparency and the rule of Law. In the words of the late Barbadian Prime Minister Errol Barrow, “we are satellites of none’ and in the words of the late Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, “we are in nobody’s backyard.”

SIGNED BY

Regional Network of Caribbean Women and Caribbean Women’s NGOs  
Movement for Social Justice, Trinidad and Tobago
Wapichan Wiizi Women’s Movement, Guyana
Equality Bahamas, The Bahamas
Tamùkke Feminists, Guyana
Womantra, Trinidad & Tobago
Stichting Ultimate Purpose, Suriname
Stichting Projekta, Suriname
Red Thread, Guyana
Sistren Theatre Collective
Groots Jamaica
Jamaica Peace Council, Jamaica
La Tejadora, Puerto Rico
CAFRA, Suriname
CAFRA, Trinidad and Tobago
St. Kitts Nevis Alliance for Equality
TARC, Tobago Alliance for Resilient Communities
Groundation, Trinidad and Tobago
Boycott Divest Sanction (BDS), Guyana
SLVSIM
Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation
The Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana
Trinidad and Tobago Community for Positive Women
The Indaba project, The Bahamas
Stand Up For Jamaica
SASOD Guyana
CAISO: Sex and Gender Justice
Operation Safe Space, Barbados
Organisation for the Victory of the People, Guyana
CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago
Scholars Strike For Liberation, Canada/Trinbago.
The Greenheart Movement, Guyana
The Haiti Support Group, Guyana
MiRiDom
Refuerza Solutions
Life In Leggings: Caribbean Alliance Against Gender-Based Violence, Barbados
Soar Caribbean
Trinbago for Palestine
Gigi Impact Advisory Ltd, United Kingdom
Caribbean Women of the Diaspora, Canada/Trinidad and Tobago
Equals Inc, Barbados
Trinidad and Tobago Youth Ambassadors
Head of External Affairs and Social Justice New World Alliances
Freedom Coalition, St. Lucia
Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc. 🇱🇨
The Barbados LGBTQ+ Coalition, Barbados
Journal of International Women’s Studies
OPSEU/SEFPO, Canada
Caribbean Institute of Ecoliberation, Grenada
Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE), Saint Lucia
Women’s Caucus of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
Relational Healing Institute
R. E. S. Returning Expat. Service, Grenada
Bahamas National Reparations Committee
PNP Women's Movement, Jamaica
Colours Caribbean
Yukuriba Creative Farming Community, Guyana
The Bori Collective, Puerto Rico
13th June 1983 Movement, Barbados
Caribbean Solidarity Network, Canada
SXM in Solidarity with Palestine, Sint Maarten
The Breadfruit Collective
Woman Inc. Jamaica
Jouvay Ayiti, Trinidad & Tobago
Protect Blue, Jersey, Channel Islands
Islamic Center, Grenada
Grow Well Inc., St. Lucia
Grupo Derecho y Política Ambiental Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Body, Mind and Spirit, Saba
Black Co-Networks for Peace and Justice, US
Indepaz- Colombia
Old Providence and Ketlina Islands Association of Independent Fishermen I-FISH, Colombia
Diversidad Domnicana, República Dominicana
Fossil Free Wider Caribbean Network
Workingwomen, T&T
Network of NGOs, T&T
Millennium Sistahs, T&T
Fresh Milk Barbados
Clement Payne Movement of Barbados
Intersect, Antigua-Barbuda
Curaçao4Palestine, Curaçao
Black Butterfly
Virtual Girl Friday
The Iyahcracy Reign of HIM Emperor Haile Selassie Ist Ancient Ivine Order of the Nyahbinghi
Meshinc, Antigua
Red de Género y Comércio, Argentina, Brasil, Uruguay
Caribbean Family Planning Association, Dominica
Black Alliance for Peace, US / Regional
Black Alliance for Peace - Haiti/Americas Team (Regional)
Centro de Atención a la Familia Migrante Indígena AC
National Lawyers Guild-Task Force on the Americas
International Tribunal of Conscience of Peoples in Movement
Mexico Solidarity Project
Migrants and Minorities Alliance, United States
Lily of the Valley Healing Institute
Witness at the Border
CodePink
Sankofie, Jamaica
University Childrights Institution, Anton de Kom University of Suriname
Raizal Diaspora
Caribbean Religious Voices for Justice
Solidarity in Action Jamaica + (SIAJA+), Jamaica
Women's Resource & Outreach Centre, Jamaica
Radio Juntanza, Colombia
Caribbean Pan Afrikan and Indigenous Movement
Advocates Network, Jamaica
Diasporic Music on Black Power 96 - Toronto, Florida
RSION Rastafari Sovereign Itiopiayawee Origene Nation
TTCSN, Trinidad and Tobago
Caribbean Organisation for People’s Empowerment
Independent/ UK/St. Lucia
The Source Farm Community Development Institute, Jamaica
Feminitt Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago
The Women's Resource and Outreach Centre, Jamaica
Sudan Solidarity Collective, Canada
Cidda Reads, Worldwide
Miami-Dade Green Party

UPDATE OCTOBER 22, 2025: 

THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN SENT, ALONG WITH THE SIGNATURES GATHERED UP TO 'THE SOURCE FARM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE, JAMAICA,' (112th Organization) ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 22 TO PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA ANDREW HOLNESS (CARICOM CHAIR), DR. CARLA BARNETT (SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY), PRIME MINISTER DICKON MITCHELL OF GRENADA AND PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE OF GRENADA DR. DESSIMA WILLIAMS. 

IT HAS ALSO BEEN SENT TO MEDIA HOUSES ACROSS THE REGION.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO CONTINUE ADDING YOUR ORGANISATION. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SHARE WIDELY FOR SIGNATURES. 

IN SOLIDARITY.