Brotherhood is characterized by the experience of feelings of connection with others, born from the understanding that the other person is just as essential as we are. The expression "brother" carries a special significance that only grows stronger when the other person is in need. "Somos hermanos" (we are brothers) is a well-known and often-repeated phrase when we speak of the compatriots from neighboring Venezuela.
The strong bond between the people of Curaçao and the Venezuelan people is not only rooted in mutual affection but also in a centuries-old historical connection. Archaeologists have determined that the original inhabitants of our island migrated here from the Venezuelan coast around 2,500 B.C. By origin, we belong to the same tribe. But how sincere is this often-heard cry of brotherhood?
Our brothers in Venezuela are in deep trouble now, as the likelihood increases that narco-dictator Maduro, backed by a corrupt military leadership, may once again secure a long-term presidency through fraudulent election results. Initially, there was immense relief when it appeared that, thanks to the efforts and determination of opposition leader/activist María Corina Machado, the elections had overwhelmingly favored the presidential challenger Edmundo González. However, the Venezuelan community plunged into a grim darkness of despair, frustration, anger, and sadness when the Venezuelan electoral council issued an implausible and inexplicable statement declaring Maduro the winner.
Millions of brave Venezuelan citizens have taken to the streets in protest, doing everything they can to challenge this blatant and shameless fraud, but so far, they have not been able to overcome the fanatical "Chavistas," the armed paramilitary groups like the "colectivos," and the Maduro-loyal military units.
A geopolitical impasse also appears to have emerged regarding the next steps to be taken. Many Latin American countries have stated that they will not recognize the election results unless Maduro can provide independently verified vote counts as evidence of his victory. The United States and the European Union also do not recognize the results, a position supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, according to Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp (NSC). However, within the Organization of American States (OAS), a motion to enforce verified election results did not pass, partly because the notoriously unreliable and unpredictable Colombian President Petro abstained from voting.
Aruba, a sister island, has firmly aligned itself with the Kingdom's stance. The island has never allowed itself to be blackmailed by the Venezuelan regime and continues to keep air connections with the narco-state closed. The Curaçaoan government, on the other hand, has remained silent, with only some weak murmurs from the MAN-PIN faction suggesting that neutrality should be maintained because we are, after all, such a peaceful nation. A few members of the PAR party have voiced mild protests. In other words, our tame, characterless government has no intention of standing up for our "hermanos."
At this critical moment, when the Venezuelan people most need support, we remain silent as the grave. This is despite knowing that the Venezuelan people are once again facing a term of pure terror and oppression under a president deeply connected with drug cartels and criminal armed groups, a president who has demonstrated for years that he does not care about the citizens of his country. And here we are, complaining about the illegal migrant flow that will undoubtedly resume, while doing nothing to address the inhumane causes of this mass exodus.
I want to remind our leaders, politicians, and fellow citizens of a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people." In an op-ed piece by then-U.S. Consul General Margaret Hawthorne in June 2017, she extensively advocated for a more robust stance by Caribbean countries against the emerging dictatorship in Venezuela. She wrote: "We must ask ourselves: if these things were happening in our own countries, would we not want the rest of our American family of nations to speak out, to help restore fundamental democratic freedoms and respect for constitutional institutions?"
But that realization hasn’t fully taken hold. We also see that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is failing to act. This dull group of mainly English-speaking island states, each safely nestled within the Commonwealth, opportunistically advocates for neutrality towards the criminal Maduro regime. Could it be because they are still benefiting from the PetroCaribe oil exchange initiative, which was revived in 2020? And what’s happening in Curaçao? Why this weak stance here as well? Are we afraid of Maduro? Or are there still many Chavistas in positions of power? Or are there also murky oil interests at play? The whole opaque situation surrounding the almost rusted refinery and the secretive contract between Refineria di Kòrsou (RdK) and Oryx suggests that much more is going on behind the scenes.
Let’s stop behaving like cowards. Following in the footsteps of our brave heroes Brion and Piar, who, under the leadership of Simón Bolívar, tried to shape Pan-Americanism, we should raise our voices again by issuing a message that clearly condemns the electoral fraud, the human rights violations, and the erosion of democracy. Only a clearly stated position gives us the right to claim a place alongside those countries that have openly condemned these actions and thereby shown themselves to be champions of a lawful and democratic Latin America and Caribbean region.
The visionary trading king Willem I, who during the tumultuous period of the Bolivarian revolution (1815-1830) saw Curaçao as the natural connection between Greater Netherlands and Greater Colombia, wanted the contacts between the Netherlands and the new Greater Colombia to be established through our island. His vision aimed to develop Curaçao into a trade center for Central and South America. In doing so, the trading king essentially laid the DNA for Curaçao, giving it the character of being a trading hub, a connecting hub for all those who see a future and prosperity in dealing with the countries on this continent.
Maduro will fall sooner or later; dictatorships do not last forever. A post-Maduro period will dawn, heavily focused on the restoration and revival of the severely battered country. Curaçao, in the spirit of King Willem I’s vision, must now begin to develop into the most obvious platform from which countries and international (aid) organizations can set up and coordinate their operations. Curaçao as a connection, as a focal point for regional reconstruction.
It wouldn't surprise me if the Netherlands already has plans in place for participating in the restoration of Venezuela; the Dutch always think ten years ahead, and we still haven't learned from that. Instead of whining about neutrality, Curaçao could take the lead by positioning itself regionally and emerging as a true advocate for the Latin American cause (a new-style Pan-Americanism), both politically and commercially. Once we have acquired that image, we can then work on creating the logistical platform for the rebuilding of Venezuela. However, Curaçao must earn that status; it won't just fall into our laps. Achieving this requires at the very least involvement in regional political and commercial processes, geopolitical knowledge and awareness, as well as a commitment to the rule of law.
In this regard, the society-destroying, inhumane, and criminal practices of Maduro demand a loud condemnation. Without that, we label ourselves as opportunistic cowards, and we might as well stop trying to be regional players and stop calling ourselves brothers of the Venezuelan people.
