Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has urged caution as calls intensify for Jamaica to take a definitive public stance on the United States’ seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The prime minister made it clear that his administration’s priority is safeguarding Jamaica’s stability and security during a period of global uncertainty.
Speaking at a church event on Wednesday, Holness described the current geopolitical climate as unpredictable and fraught with risk.
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“We are living in changing times, uncertain times, and uncharted waters in many instances,” he said. “My job is to keep Jamaica safe. Not to steer into waters we do not have to go. Not to invite problems on ourselves when we already have our own challenges to manage.”
Although Holness did not directly reference the dramatic January 3 operation in which United States forces captured Maduro, he indicated that Jamaica has already established its positions on many of the issues now dominating international discourse.
“On many of the matters presently being discussed, Jamaica had already taken its position long before others sought to articulate any current stance,” he said.
The prime minister added that Jamaica has successfully navigated turbulent geopolitical and geo economic conditions through careful diplomacy.
“We give God thanks for keeping Jamaica safe in these times. We have charted our course skillfully and we will continue to steer the ship of the Jamaican state toward the prosperity that God has ordained,” he said.
Holness also dismissed suggestions that his cautious approach reflected a retreat from principle. Speaking at the Heal the Family, Heal the Nation National Day of Prayer service in Portmore, St Catherine, he said Jamaica has remained consistent in its foreign policy.
“This is not us recoiling from our principles and duties. Jamaica has always been a strong voice of reason for small developing countries and we will continue to be,” he said.
His comments come amid mounting pressure from the Opposition People’s National Party, regional leaders, and international observers who are debating issues of sovereignty, international law, and Caribbean security following the United States operation.
Maduro and his wife were seized in Venezuela and transported to New York, where he pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges on Monday. United States President Donald Trump subsequently stated that Washington would temporarily run the oil rich South American nation, a declaration that has intensified regional anxiety. He later told the New York Times that only time would determine how long his administration would oversee Venezuela’s governance.
In court, Maduro insisted that he remains Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
“I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country,” he said.
Jamaica’s position on Maduro dates back to January 2019, when the country joined 18 members of the Organization of American States in voting not to recognise the legitimacy of his new presidential term at the time.
Following that vote, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith said Jamaica supported the resolution based on core democratic values.
“The Government of Jamaica acknowledges that respect for the rule of law, human rights, democracy, and non intervention in the internal affairs of states remain critical considerations,” she said.
Johnson Smith also emphasised Jamaica’s concern for the Venezuelan people.
“Our interest has always been, and continues to be, the well being of the people of Venezuela. Jamaica stands ready to provide any support that may help facilitate dialogue and ease the serious challenges facing that country,” she added.
Maduro was re elected in 2024 in a poll that was widely disputed by international observers.
Meanwhile, the Opposition PNP has urged the government to take a firmer stance. The party called on Jamaica to unequivocally defend international law and warned that force driven regime change in the region poses serious risks.
The PNP reaffirmed its support for national sovereignty, strict limits on the use of force, and adherence to a rules based international order. It also urged CARICOM to reinforce the Caribbean’s status as a Zone of Peace.
CARICOM leaders have already expressed grave concern over developments in Venezuela, calling for diplomatic engagement while emphasising respect for sovereignty, human dignity, and regional stability.
Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding weighed in on the matter in a Jamaica Observer column, describing the operation against Maduro as part of a broader shift toward aggressive global politics under Trump era policies. Golding suggested that the muted international response reflects fear and geopolitical dependency, placing CARICOM nations in a precarious position.
“Taking a principled stance against Trump’s actions would almost certainly invite retribution. We are between a rock and a hard place,” he wrote.
Golding warned that post World War Two norms designed to protect sovereignty and limit unilateral military action are being steadily eroded.
“We are not in uncharted waters. The threat of recolonisation is upon us, but we have been here before. These are the same waters we navigated 80 years ago. We managed then and we will have to do so again,” he said.
