Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton has criticised the bombing of suspected narco-traffickers in the Caribbean Sea, a move that has been led by the United States as part of a counter-drug campaign.
“The rule of law should prevail both at the local level and the international level.
“I do not think anybody should be bombed just because they are labelled as narco-traffickers. In fact, I believe the US has the capacity to capture them and bring them to trial but I cannot ever support a situation where a sovereign state bombs people in another sovereign state over so-called drug trafficking,” Norton said at a press conference on Friday.
The U.S. military has been increasing its presence in the Caribbean, including deployments of guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and thousands of troops. US officials — including President Donald Trump —claimed that the vessels are being targeted because they are used to traffic cocaine from Venezuela into the United States.
Norton emphasised that he is against drug trafficking but said he is against unilateral actions.
“We want to see drug trafficking reduced and ultimately gotten rid of but it has to be done within the confines of the law,” Norton said.
In a statement earlier this month, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states, except Trinidad and Tobago, reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the region as a zone of peace.
“CARICOM Heads of Government reiterated their continued commitment to fighting narcotrafficking and the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons, which adversely affect the Region. They underscored that efforts to overcome these challenges should be through ongoing international cooperation and within international law,” the statement read.
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