THE HAGUE - Members of the Dutch Parliament Don Ceder (ChristenUnie) and Heera Dijk (D66) are urging the government to explain what measures are necessary to guarantee the safety of residents on the ABC islands, following recent U.S. military operations off the coast of Venezuela. Their concerns were submitted today in a series of written questions to Foreign Affairs Minister Van Weel, Defence Minister Brekelmans, and State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Van Marum.
Ceder and Dijk are demanding the government’s formal response to a recent report titled “The Netherlands must speak out against major U.S. military action in the Caribbean” and to the announcement of "Operation Southern Spear" by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. They also want to know whether the Dutch government has already contacted U.S. officials about the attacks in the Caribbean and what message was conveyed during those discussions. In addition, they ask the cabinet whether it believes these U.S. attacks undermine international law and, if not, which legal framework the government considers applicable.
The MPs are seeking an updated security assessment regarding the safety of the countries within the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. They want to know what additional steps must be taken in light of recent developments to ensure the protection of island residents. A key part of their inquiry focuses on the execution of a previously adopted Ceder motion calling for strengthened defence capacity in the Caribbean. They request detailed information on which reinforcements have already been implemented and how local island authorities have responded.
Given that the United Kingdom has stopped sharing intelligence with the United States regarding alleged drug smuggling in the Caribbean, Ceder and Dijk also want to know whether the Netherlands is considering a similar step, and if not, why. They further question whether U.S. military presence within the Kingdom—particularly on Curaçao and Aruba—played any role in the recent American attacks on vessels, for instance if U.S. aircraft took off from Curaçao to participate in the operations. If such involvement occurred, the MPs ask the government to explain the nature of that role and how it is evaluated.
The parliamentarians also inquire whether the Netherlands is willing, either individually or together with like-minded countries or within the EU, to call for an independent investigation into the attacks, and whether the cabinet intends to formally speak out against them. Finally, they want clarity on the extent of communication and coordination with the responsible authorities within the Kingdom and ask the government to provide Parliament with periodic updates on the situation.
This wave of questions underscores growing political concern in The Hague about escalating military tensions in the southern Caribbean and the potential implications for the ABC islands, which lie only a short distance from the Venezuelan coast.
