With all that’s happening globally, including the election of a new pope, the strategic alliance recently signed between Venezuela and Russia (see Thursday newspaper) should not go unnoticed. A report by Curaçao Chronicle sees wide-reaching implications for the geopolitical landscape of the region.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin formalised a treaty that commits the two countries to close cooperation in areas such as military, energy, technology and trade. This makes Venezuela the first Latin American nation to elevate its bilateral relations with Russia to such a high level.
According to the news outlet, analysts note that this pact is not just symbolic – it represents a clear pivot away from Western-aligned systems and the Caribbean could feel the ripple effects. The agreement’s emphasis on building non-Western trade and financial infrastructure, along with military-technical collaboration, may challenge US and European dominance in a region traditionally considered within their sphere of influence.
The deal might have security implications, particularly for neighbours such as Curaçao, Aruba and Colombia, which host US-aligned institutions including military assets and intelligence facilities. However, both risks and opportunities are mentioned.
The former include that a potential increase in East-West tension puts smaller islands in a position of having to navigate increasingly polarised international relations.
The latter include that non-aligned or neutral countries might leverage the emerging multipolar environment to diversify trade and strategic partnerships beyond traditional Western channels.
One question is how Caribbean Community Caricom and Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members respond diplomatically. And will Washington D.C. or Brussels introduce countermeasures or increase engagement with territories in the region?
This could mark a turning point in hemispheric diplomacy and the Caribbean – both politically and geographically caught in the middle – may soon have to redefine its own strategic position, Curaçao Chronicle suggests. Regardless, it will no doubt be interesting to watch unfolding developments in the near future.
