The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) has voiced strong opposition to the deployment of extra-regional military forces in the region, following reports that the United States has stationed F-35 stealth fighter jets in Puerto Rico and is considering military strikes against Venezuela.
In a joint declaration, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela reaffirmed Latin America and the Caribbean’s status as a Zone of Peace.
The proclamation—adopted a decade ago—commits member states to peaceful dispute resolution, non-interference in internal affairs, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the inalienable right of peoples to self-determination.
The declaration comes amid reports from U.S. media outlets, including CNN, that President Donald Trump is weighing options for strikes against Venezuela which are viewed by many as a plot for regime change.
Ten F-35 fighter jets have reportedly been deployed to an airfield in Puerto Rico as part of the operation, raising fears of escalation in an already tense climate between Washington and Caracas.
CELAC members also highlighted the Treaty of Tlatelolco as a historic milestone, making the region the first densely populated area in the world free of nuclear weapons and symbolizing the peoples’ rejection of coercion and militarization.
While acknowledging that organized crime and drug trafficking remain serious challenges, CELAC countries stressed that such threats must be addressed through cooperation within the framework of international law—not through external military intervention.
The regional bloc reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding peace, democracy, and development, calling for dialogue and multilateralism to resolve disputes rather than military force.
