Former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has condemned the recent United States (US) drone strikes on vessels in Caribbean waters, describing the attacks as “fundamentally dangerous” and “a horrible erosion” of regional sovereignty.
The retired statesman said the actions of the US government threaten to undo decades of diplomatic efforts aimed at preserving the Caribbean as a “zone of peace.” His comments come amid growing regional unease over a series of US-ordered military strikes targeting alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea since September 2.
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According to Washington, the operations—personally authorized by President Donald Trump—have destroyed at least five boats allegedly transporting narcotics to the US, killing 27 people. The most recent strike, conducted on Tuesday, reportedly left six dead.
“This is not only frightening but deeply dangerous,” Patterson told The Gleaner. “At our very first meeting in 1972, in Chaguaramas, the four independent countries—Jamaica under Michael Manley, Barbados under Errol Barrow, Guyana under Forbes Burnham, and under the chairmanship of Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago—declared the Caribbean to be a zone of peace.
“What we are witnessing now,” he continued, “is a fundamentally dangerous and horrible erosion of that firm commitment to assert our collective sovereignty in the area. It is a matter that compels the heads of government in the Caribbean, as a matter of the greatest urgency, to be in consultations and take a common position in reaffirming that inviolable principle.”
Regional Leaders Divided on US Strikes
The US operations have triggered mixed responses from Caribbean leaders.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar expressed strong support for the American offensive shortly after the first strike, saying, “I, along with most of the country, am happy that the US naval deployment is having success in their mission. The pain and suffering the cartels have inflicted on our nation is immense. I have no sympathy for traffickers; the US military should kill them all, violently.”
By contrast, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in late September, appealed for dialogue to avoid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. Similarly, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, denounced the militarization of regional waters as “exceedingly troubling.”
While Jamaica’s Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness, the current CARICOM Chairman, has remained silent on the issue, the regional bloc has yet to release an official position. Patterson refrained from criticizing Holness directly but noted the urgency for unified regional diplomacy.
“This is not a matter that permits any semblance of political division,” Patterson said. “There is a well-established pattern by which we have dealt with such matters—perhaps the most recent being our consultations over the American request for a Shiprider Agreement.”
Historical Context and Legal Concerns
Jamaica signed the Shiprider Agreement with the United States in 1997, which took effect under the Maritime Drug Trafficking (Suppression) Act of 1998. The agreement permits US vessels to pursue and search ships suspected of drug trafficking within Jamaican waters or in international waters if the vessels are Jamaican-registered.
However, recent drone strikes have raised questions about international law and sovereignty, particularly as the US has not provided detailed evidence linking the destroyed vessels to narcotics trafficking. The strikes have also drawn concern from regional fisherfolk, who fear becoming “collateral damage” amid escalating tensions.
“There are rules which apply in international waters that should not be violated,” Patterson emphasized. “What is taking place has worrying implications, not only regarding breaches of international law, but also for those who depend on the sea for their livelihood—whether fishing, cruising, or sailing. The existing situation demands that CARICOM heads cannot remain silent.”
Unverified Claims and Regional Fallout
The US government has released grainy footage of the drone attacks but has not disclosed the identities of those killed or provided verifiable proof of narcotics trafficking. In one instance, Colombian President Gustavo Petro claimed a boat struck by US forces was Colombian, carrying Colombian citizens—an allegation the White House denied.
Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, has not responded to media queries on the matter, despite questions sent to her office on October 7.
As pressure mounts for CARICOM to respond, Patterson warned that continued silence from regional leaders could embolden future violations of Caribbean sovereignty.
“The Caribbean has always stood for peace, dialogue, and respect for sovereignty,” he said. “We cannot allow external powers to transform our waters into a battlefield.”
