WILLEMSTAD – The planned visit of the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Jason Dunham to Curaçao has been canceled. The vessel was scheduled to dock on Thursday, but the Curaçaoan government announced that it had been informed by the U.S. Consulate that the visit would not go ahead. 

Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas (MFK) had stated during a press conference on Monday that the ship was en route to the island. According to the government, no new request has yet been submitted for another U.S. naval vessel to dock in Willemstad.

The USS Jason Dunham’s visit was part of a broader U.S. naval deployment in the Caribbean, which also includes the USS Gravely. The deployment is aimed at intensifying efforts against drug trafficking networks in Latin America.

Curaçao plays a strategic role in these operations due to its location just 65 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela and its existing cooperation with the United States and the Netherlands through the Forward Operating Location (FOL).

The Curaçaoan government says it remains in close contact with the U.S. Consulate and has pledged to keep the community updated on further developments.

The reason for the cancellation has not been disclosed. The U.S. Consulate has not yet issued an official statement.