In recent months, the US has strengthened its military presence in the Caribbean, shipping in large quantities of military equipment. Although the US presents this as part of the fight against drugs and terrorism, Venezuela actually exports only limited quantities of drugs to the US – although the country is sometimes used as a transit route for smuggling. Critics and experts emphasise that these operations are also being used as a political tool to put pressure on the Venezuelan government, possibly to access to oil and other raw materials.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and the Venezuelan human rights organisation PROVEA point out that the attacks amount to unlawful extrajudicial executions – a serious violation of human rights – and emphasise that those responsible must be independently investigated and, if necessary, prosecuted.
In response The United Kingdom has decided to no longer share intelligence with the US. France has condemned the American attacks as illegal. The Netherlands is active in the same region, cooperates with the US in the fight against drugs and cannot afford to lag behind. It is crucial that the Dutch government critically reviews its military cooperation with the US in the region and prevents itself from becoming complicit in these operations through the sharing of intelligence.
Back in 2013, the Dutch House of Representatives passed a motion stating that intelligence should not be shared if it could contribute to illegal targeted killings, a principle that is now more relevant than ever. The Dutch constitution states that we have a duty to promote the international legal order. Now is the time to take this seriously by condemning illegal attacks and taking action. Compliance with international law and human lives should outweigh political loyalty to the US.
