Last Thursday, a small group of activists under the banner of Movementu Kousa Promé gathered in Punda for what they called a “peace demonstration.” The event, Curaçao Zona di Pas, was promoted as a call for our island to remain a place of peace, free from U.S. military involvement in the region.
Venezuelan Consul-General
On the surface, the message might have sounded noble. Who doesn’t want peace for Curaçao? Who among us would not want our island to remain safe, stable, and far from the devastating consequences of international conflicts? But when we looked closer at who led this manifestation, and the language used in their manifesto, the true agenda became clear.
This was never really about peace for Curaçao. It was about supporting the Venezuelan regime. The presence of the Venezuelan Consul-General made that crystal clear. The movement’s message mirrored that of Nicolás Maduro’s government: criticism of the United States, condemnation of “foreign provocations,” and calls for respect of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Nowhere in their statements was there any mention of the suffering of the Venezuelan people under years of dictatorship, economic collapse, and widespread human rights abuses.
Let us be honest: the people of Curaçao have nothing to gain from being drawn into Venezuelan propaganda campaigns. Our island’s relationship with the United States is built on agreements that contribute to our security and regional stability. Yes, there should always be careful consideration of risks, but to frame Curaçao’s agreements with the U.S. as “madness” while turning a blind eye to the destabilizing actions of Venezuela was both dishonest and dangerous.
We must not allow the voices of a very small group, however loud they try to be, to distort the reality of what is happening in our region. Curaçao should indeed stand for peace—but genuine peace, not the selective peace that conveniently excuses dictatorship.
Our leaders should not be distracted by such displays. Instead, they must stay focused on protecting the true interests of Curaçao: safeguarding our democracy, supporting our economy, and ensuring the security of our people.
Peace cannot come from ignoring aggression and pretending that Maduro’s Venezuela is an innocent victim. Peace comes from honesty, from cooperation with reliable partners, and from a clear understanding of the risks we face in this region.
