Former UN ambassador, Crispin Gregoire: CARICOM must find its voice amid Venezuela crisis

Former Dominican ambassador to the United Nations, Crispin Gregoire, has urged CARICOM leaders to break their silence and respond decisively to the unfolding crisis in Venezuela following the dramatic capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Gregoire expressed disappointment at what he described as a “timid” regional response, stressing that this is the moment Caribbean leaders must stand together and engage directly with Washington.

According to Gregoire, the United States executed a precision operation that stunned Venezuela’s military and political establishment. He revealed that U.S. intelligence had penetrated Maduro’s inner circle, even buying off members of his personal security detail. Families of those bodyguards were reportedly relocated to the United States under new identities before the strike. With their cooperation, a Delta Force team swiftly entered, seized Maduro and his wife, and departed within twelve minutes—leaving Venezuela’s defense minister and armed forces “totally dumbfounded.”

Gregoire, in an interview on Q95 today, warned that the operation raises profound legal and political questions. On the international level, he argued, the U.S. violated Venezuela’s sovereignty, ignoring norms of international law. Domestically, he noted that President Trump bypassed Congress, sparking opposition among lawmakers who question the administration’s authority to intervene. “The U.S. invokes international rules when convenient,” Gregoire said, “but ignores them when it suits their interests.”

Maduro now faces a sweeping indictment in U.S. courts, reportedly spanning 700 pages and portraying him as a drug kingpin responsible for facilitating massive cocaine shipments. Gregoire drew parallels to the case of Panama’s Manuel Noriega, who was tried in the United States after being forcibly removed from power. He questioned whether U.S. courts have legitimacy in prosecuting a foreign leader taken under such circumstances, calling the act “kidnapping.”

The ambassador also highlighted the destabilizing implications for Venezuela. Armed groups, including Colombian factions and Maduro’s own colectivos militia, remain active and heavily armed. With the government in disarray, Gregoire warned that Venezuela’s stability is “in crisis, starting yesterday.”

Complicating matters further, he noted reports that Caribbean politicians may be implicated in Maduro’s alleged drug network. Recent seizures of cocaine in Dominica and investigations into regional energy officials have fueled speculation of Caribbean involvement. Gregoire expressed concern that such revelations could tarnish the region’s credibility and deepen its vulnerability.

Despite these mounting challenges, Gregoire’s central message was clear: CARICOM cannot remain passive. He criticized regional leaders for failing to publicly reach out to President Trump or articulate a collective position. “The Caribbean leaders have been whipped into submission,” he said, “and for their own survival, they now have to play Donald Trump’s tune.”

For Gregoire, the crisis is not only about Venezuela’s future but also about the Caribbean’s ability to assert itself in the face of great power intervention. His call is a reminder that silence, in moments of geopolitical upheaval, carries its own risks.