THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD - Defense is prepared for all scenarios because of the unrest in Venezuela. A few soldiers are going to the Caribbean, to support the highest military on the spot, the Ministry of Defense said. It concerns a few soldiers.

The Netherlands does not yet send extra equipment or many extra soldiers to the area. "But Defense is always ready from its Kingdom task and is prepared for all scenarios," says a spokesman.

LARGEST NEIGHBOR

Venezuela is close to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. The Netherlands closely monitors developments, because Venezuela is the largest neighbor of the Kingdom. The Netherlands is responsible for defense operations in the Caribbean.

Since the unrest in Venezuela has increased, the role of the Netherlands in the Caribbean is also being examined. Curaçao or other islands could serve to provide humanitarian aid or provide military support.

SOLDIERS

The American president Trump has previously said that "all options are on the table", also for example an option to intervene militarily. "As far as we know, formal requests have not yet been made by the United States and other countries," Defense said.

STRENGTHENING

Defense always has soldiers ready for deployment in the Kingdom. There are about 500 Dutch soldiers in the area. The highest soldier is the Commander of the Navy in the Caribbean and he receives extra support. "It's a limited reinforcement," says a spokesperson.

Yesterday, the Netherlands, together with a number of other European countries, recognized Venezuelan parliament president Juan Guaidó as interim president of the South American country.