Gerardo Peñalver Portal, acting minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX), took part today in an extraordinary virtual meeting of foreign ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), urgently convened to address the U.S. military deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea.

In his remarks, according to Cubaminrex, Peñalver Portal strongly rejected the U.S. military operation, which has been presented as part of a counternarcotics strategy. He described it as “a dangerous offensive” and “disproportionate” due to the use of nuclear submarines, naval assets and military personnel that, he argued, threaten regional peace and security.

This action undermines the sovereignty of Latin American and Caribbean peoples and contradicts the Zone of Peace declared by the region in 2014, the diplomat stated.

He also challenged Washington’s accusations against the Venezuelan government, noting that official reports from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) contain no evidence linking that country to drug trafficking networks.

The response to regional challenges must be based on cooperation, respect for sovereignty and non-interference, Peñalver Portal emphasized, while reaffirming Cuba’s commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking and defending regional stability.

The meeting was convened by Colombia in its role as CELAC’s Pro Tempore Presidency, amid growing geopolitical tensions in the Caribbean.