Sahar Ragab
The Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Egypt delivered a powerful address at a seminar organized by the Dialogue Center in Cairo, warning that recent U.S. military deployments in the Caribbean represent a serious and unprecedented threat to peace and security in Latin America and beyond.
At the beginning of his remarks, the Ambassador expressed his gratitude to the Dialogue Center for providing a platform to discuss what he described as “a matter of utmost importance for the peace of Latin America, the Caribbean, and consequently, international stability.”
He strongly condemned the latest escalation of U.S. harassment policies against Venezuela, including illegal sanctions, disinformation campaigns, political prosecutions, and disregard for Venezuela’s legitimate institutions, emphasizing that the current military buildup in the Caribbean — including guided-missile destroyers and a nuclear-powered attack submarine — marks the first time in history that nuclear-capable assets have entered the region.
The Ambassador stressed that this move constitutes a flagrant violation of the 1967 Treaty of Tlatelolco, which established Latin America and the Caribbean as a nuclear-weapon-free zone and legally binds the United States under its First and Second Protocols.
He added that these actions also breach the United Nations Charter, particularly Articles 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.7, which guarantee the sovereign equality of states, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the prohibition of the use or threat of force, and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. Moreover, they ignore the 2014 CELAC Declaration that declared Latin America and the Caribbean a Zone of Peace.
“The introduction of nuclear components into the Caribbean destabilizes the region, undermines global non-proliferation and disarmament efforts, and endangers international peace,” the Ambassador warned.
In the face of what he called “a deeply concerning situation,” the Venezuelan envoy reaffirmed his country’s unwavering commitment to international law, peaceful dispute resolution, and respect for national sovereignty. He emphasized that Venezuela poses no threat to any nation but will never accept coercion or violations of its inalienable rights.
Recalling past U.S. military interventions, he said:
> “Since the beginning of the 21st century, the United States has invoked false pretexts to invade Iraq, bomb Libya, and occupy Afghanistan for two decades. Today, the aggression targets Venezuela — a peaceful and sovereign nation — through fabricated accusations meant to justify an immoral and costly military threat.”
The Ambassador reaffirmed Venezuela’s determination to defend its sovereignty and regional peace, underscoring that Venezuela is part of the emerging multipolar world order and has the right to chart its own destiny free from any form of imperial domination or neocolonialism.
Quoting President Nicolás Maduro Moros, he concluded:
“Venezuela will never kneel before any empire, no matter its name or power. Truth and justice stand with us — and so does our right to self-defense.”