The former president of the Grenada Senate, Chester Humphrey, says he is prepared to lead a peaceful protest march against efforts by the United States to install radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport (MBIA) here.
Humphrey, one of the country’s leading trade unionist, said that the move by Washington is a precursor to launching a military strike against the Nicolás Maduro government in the Venezuela.
Former Grenada Senate president, Chester Humphrey
‘It will be a grave stain on the history.against the memory of our forefathers for us to join in a war against a state that has done us nothing and a state that has helped us tremendously.Venezuela has not declared war or threaten the United States,’ Humphrey told WPG10 Television here.
‘I am saying that by giving the United States our facilities and the irony is the very Maurice Bishop Airport which they accused us of building as an air base, is now being used by the very Americans. Cuba built us this international airport, it was always a civilian airport.
‘I think what this country needs is a massive peace movement and I am prepared publicly to launch a call for all sections of Grenadian society to openly come out in defiance and in support of peace. A national peace movement pursuing peace and non-militarisation of the Caribbean is the call of the time,’ Humphrey told television viewers to the programme ‘the Narrative’.
Earlier this week, The Grenada government acknowledged that it had received a request for the temporary installation of radar equipment and associated technical personnel at the Maurice Bishop International Airport from the United State government.
‘The Ministries of National Security, Legal Affairs and Foreign Affairs are carefully assessing the request and reviewing the request in technical consultations, in coordination with the Grenada airports Authority and other relevant agencies,’ the Dickon Mitchell government said, adding that it is carefully reviewing the request in accordance with established national procedures.
‘Any decisions will be made only after all technical and legal assessments are completed. We wish to assure our citizens that any decision taken will be guided by Grenada’s sovereignty, public safety, and national interest, including the protection of our tourism industry, the traveling public, and the country’s economic well-being,’ the government said, adding it continue to keep the public informed as developments unfold.
Humphrey said that recent moves by Washington to revoke the visa of the Grenada Finance Minister, as well as to call on St. George’s to end its health brigade programme with Cuba and the decision to put restrictions on local fishing products to America, were all part of ‘softening’ the island for the move towards getting its support for the military invasion of Venezuela.
Last month, President Donald Trump ramped up US military presence in the Caribbean Sea ordering an amphibious squadron to the southern Caribbean as part of his effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.
A nuclear-powered attack submarine, additional P8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, several destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser have also being allocated to US Southern Command as part of the mission.
The United States military has carried out four deadly air strikes in Caribbean waters over the past few weeks against what Washington alleges are Caracas-backed drug traffickers. The Venezuelan government denies the charge, accusing the administration of being a threat to the peace and security of the whole region.
During the United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday, Venezuela with support from China and Russia condemned the actions of the United States.
Humphrey said Washington is yet to provide any details regarding the deaths of the people killed in international waters whom it had accused of being drug traffickers.
‘As I said we have done nothing wrong, we have threatened no one, we are not poised to bridge the peace, so why ought we to aid and abet and facilitate the commission of the breach of international law against a sovereign country that has done the United States nothing,’ Humphrey said.
‘All Grenada has done is to sign an agreement for another nation to trade in its oil. That is all it has done and that is the basis of this threat and this preparation for war,’ Humphrey said, in no doubt making reference to the Dragon Gas deal Caracas signed with the Trinidad and Tobago government following negotiations that began in 2016.
Washington has since imposed sanctions on Venezuela and as a result, countries need Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licence from the United States in order to conduct business with Venezuela.
Humphrey recalled President Trump saying that in the invasion of Iraq, had he been in power he would have gone in there and seized the oil and get out ‘and that is precisely what he is pursuing no.
‘So I am saying we find ourselves in a position if we agree to this (US radar request) it is like, for example (Grenada) being the place from where the invasion occurred.there are times in the lives of men when you have to stand for something.
‘The worst thing you can do in the face of a bully is to run. You will keep running forever,’ he said, insisting ‘we have done nothing wrong, we are a peace abiding country, we have supported all international laws.
‘We have certain basic principles by which we stand.and sometimes there is a price for standing up for what is right,’ he added.
He said the overthrow of the Maduro government will be a ‘case of robbery because what Trump wants is their oil and they have imposed all kinds of sanctions’.
Humphrey said it is so ‘ironic that in the month of October the Americans are back again’ making reference to the October 25, 1983 invasion of Grenada by American forces following the palace coup that lead to the death ofBishop, the country’s first left wing prime.