Belarus' Foreign Ministry Condemns Actions Leading to Creation of Tense Situation in Caribbean

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry condemns any aggressive actions aimed at creating a tense international situation in the Caribbean and Latin America as a whole. This is said in a statement by the country's Foreign Ministry, BelTA reports.

"Belarus consistently advocates international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking. At the same time, we consider unsubstantiated and politically motivated accusations against sovereign states, in particular the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and its leadership, of supporting terrorism and illegal drug trafficking to be unacceptable," the statement reads.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry called on all parties to strictly adhere to the provisions of the UN Charter, primarily the principles of non-threat or use of force, as well as non-interference in the internal affairs of states. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry expressed confidence that any contradictions should be resolved exclusively by peaceful means through dialogue, without the use of military force and pressure.

"The Republic of Belarus confirms its support for the legitimately elected President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and the government of the country, consistently advocating for the preservation of its sovereignty, independence and stability," the statement said.

On August 19, Reuters, citing Pentagon sources, reported that three U.S. Navy destroyers had been sent to the southern Caribbean to the shores of Venezuela "to conduct operations to combat drug cartels." It was also reported that the missile cruiser USS Lake Erie and the nuclear submarine USS Newport News had been deployed. According to CNN, about 4,000 U.S. troops will be deployed in the region.

In response to the increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced a nationwide mobilization of the Bolivarian National Militia.