~Why the Treaty of Tlatelolco matters in 2026~
Dear editor,
In February 2026, the Western Hemisphere finds itself at an inflection point. Great-power rivalry has intensified, military postures have hardened, and maritime spaces once treated as commons for trade and cooperation are increasingly viewed through a strategic lens. The Caribbean Sea – small in geography but immense in significance – sits uncomfortably close to this global turbulence.
It is precisely in this moment that the Caribbean Sea Neutrality & Peace Doctrine deserves serious public attention.
This doctrine is not a call for naïve idealism, nor an attempt to wish away geopolitics. It is a sober, legally grounded assertion that the Caribbean has both the right and the responsibility to define its own security identity – one rooted in peace, restraint, and international law. At its core stands a treaty many outside the region forget, but which Caribbean peoples should never overlook: the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
A forgotten cornerstone of Caribbean security – The Treaty of Tlatelolco, concluded in 1967, established Latin America and the Caribbean as the world's first Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone. It was not imposed by external powers; it was a voluntary, principled decision by regional states who understood that nuclear weapons have no place in societies defined by proximity, vulnerability, and interdependence.
For the Caribbean, this treaty is more than a Cold War artefact. It is a living legal instrument that affirms a simple but powerful proposition: our sea is not a staging ground for nuclear risk.
In today’s climate – marked by renewed nuclear rhetoric, expanded naval deployments, and blurred lines between deterrence and provocation – Tlatelolco provides the strongest “hard law” foundation for a Caribbean peace posture. It gives regional governments both standing and legitimacy to insist that nuclear weapons, nuclear deployments, and nuclear brinkmanship remain outside Caribbean waters and ports.
Neutrality is not weakness – Critics often misunderstand neutrality as passivity. The Caribbean Sea Neutrality & Peace Doctrine argues the opposite. Neutrality, as articulated here, is an active policy choice – one grounded in sovereignty, not submission.
The doctrine aligns squarely with the Charter of the United Nations, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and regional cooperation frameworks. It does not seek to ban lawful navigation or ignore international realities. Instead, it sets clear expectations: no coercive military posturing, no escalation by proxy, and no erosion of the Caribbean’s non-nuclear status.
This is especially relevant for small island territories such as St. Martin / Sint Maarten, whose prosperity depends on open sea lanes, tourism, trade, and environmental stability. Militarisation brings none of these benefits – only risk.
Why Peace matters now more than ever – The geopolitical landscape today is markedly different from even five years ago. Strategic competition in the Atlantic, the re-militarisation of global politics, and the normalisation of “gray zone” operations have increased the likelihood that small regions become collateral spaces rather than respected communities.
Against this backdrop, silence is not neutrality, it is vulnerability.
By reaffirming a Caribbean Sea peace doctrine now, regional leaders can proactively shape how external powers engage with the region. They can say, collectively and lawfully: This is a sea of commerce, culture, and cooperation – not confrontation.
A regional voice, not an isolated plea – The strength of this doctrine lies in coordination. Through regional mechanisms such as CARICOM and existing diplomatic channels, Caribbean states can harmonise port-access policies, promote transparency around military exercises, and insist on de-escalatory conduct without threatening anyone or violating international law.
Most importantly, invoking the Treaty of Tlatelolco reminds the world that the Caribbean has already chosen its security path. It chose life over annihilation, cooperation over brinkmanship, and peace over posturing – long before such choices were fashionable.
The choice before us – The Caribbean Sea has been many things throughout history: a crossroads of cultures, a site of exploitation, a theatre of conflict. In the 21st century, it must become something else entirely – a model of maritime peace in an unstable world.
The Caribbean Sea Neutrality & Peace Doctrine does not ask permission from global powers. It asserts a regional consensus grounded in law, history, and lived reality. And in January 2026, with tensions rising and margins for error shrinking, that assertion could not be timelier.
The Caribbean has already shown the world one path forward with the Treaty of Tlatelolco. It is time to walk it again – together, deliberately, and without apology.
By PJ Fameli, Beacon Hill
