ORANJESTAD – Tijdens zijn eerste werkbezoek aan het Caribisch gebied (6–8 januari) heeft minister van Defensie Ruben Brekelmans op Curaçao, Aruba en Sint Maarten de defensie-eenheden bezocht. Naast een kennismaking met de lokale operaties, sprak hij uitgebreid over geopolitieke spanningen, de situatie in Venezuela en cyberdreigingen die zowel Europa als het Caribisch gebied raken.
Geopolitical tensions and Venezuela
At a press briefing, the minister emphasized rising tensions worldwide. He warned of Venezuela building military capabilities in cooperation with Russia, China and Iran. "We are seeing an increase in geopolitical tensions worldwide. Venezuela is also strengthening its military capabilities with help from Russia, China and Iran. We have to be alert to that," Brekelmans said.
Although he stated that the situation in Europe cannot be directly translated to the Caribbean region, he stressed the importance of vigilance. "We need to be prepared for scenarios and understand what threats could arise in our region," he said.
Cyber attacks and sabotage
The minister pointed to the growing threat of cyber attacks by countries such as Russia and China. "We are seeing an active cyber program in which they are trying to penetrate our electricity systems, water systems and digital infrastructure," he said. He also warned of sabotage of vital infrastructure such as power grids and data cables, a threat already visible in the Netherlands and Europe.
Brekelmans stressed the importance of local preparation and called on both governments and businesses to strengthen their cybersecurity. "The first line of defense starts with companies, banks and other organizations. They need to secure their systems properly, while Defense provides support where needed."
He advised the people of Aruba to also be prepared for crisis situations, such as temporary outages of water, electricity or internet. "In the Netherlands, we tell people: make sure you have resources in your home for at least 48 hours. That also applies here."
Military presence in the Caribbean
During his visit, the minister inspected several locations, including the Savaneta Marine Barracks on Aruba and the Point Blanche Naval Support Point on St. Maarten. He stressed the importance of a permanent maritime presence in the region. "Our presence here is essential, not only to protect the islands, but also to contribute to the fight against drug trafficking and human smuggling."
Cooperation within the Kingdom
The minister spoke to the governors and prime ministers of Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten about strengthening cooperation within the Kingdom. He called the protection of the Kingdom a "core task" and underlined that cooperation in the area of security remains essential.
With this visit, Minister Brekelmans underscored the importance of vigilance and cooperation to protect both European and Caribbean parts of the Kingdom from modern threats.
