WASHINGTON, WILLEMSTAD - The United States has launched a new military operation targeting so-called “narcoterrorists” across the Western Hemisphere, a move that could have far-reaching implications for the Caribbean — including Curaçao’s Forward Operating Location (FOL).
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the campaign, named Operation Southern Spear, in a statement on X, saying it aims to “remove narcoterrorists from our hemisphere and protect the U.S. homeland from the flow of drugs.”
The operation is being led by a special task force within U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) — the combatant command responsible for 31 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.
Nineteen strikes and 76 dead
According to Pentagon sources, at least nineteen strikes have already been carried out against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and along the Pacific coast of Latin America, resulting in no fewer than 76 fatalities.
Curaçao’s strategic role
The announcement gives new urgency — and sensitivity — to the long-standing defense cooperation between the United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. For more than two decades, SOUTHCOM has operated from the Forward Operating Location (FOL) at Hato International Airport, a facility made available by Curaçao for surveillance flights conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard, and the Navy.
The FOL is governed by agreements between the U.S. and the Kingdom. The Netherlands sets the framework for defense and intelligence cooperation, while Curaçao retains authority over local operational conditions — a delicate balance that has often sparked political debate on the island.
Rising political sensitivity
That sensitivity has now intensified. Local politicians have long expressed concern that U.S. operations from Curaçao could draw the island into escalating tensions between Washington and Venezuela, located just 65 kilometers away.
In The Hague, discussions have also resurfaced about what intelligence is shared through the FOL and whether such information can be used to support offensive actions, as appears to be the case with Operation Southern Spear.
Legal experts have warned that the Kingdom must avoid facilitating U.S. military actions that could breach international law.
Diplomatic pressure mounts
With the launch of this new U.S. operation, diplomatic pressure is mounting on the Kingdom of the Netherlands to clarify its role in Washington’s regional military campaign — and to define Curaçao’s exact position within that framework.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, during his recent visits to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, was reportedly confronted by concerns from Curaçaoan officials about the island’s potential involvement in the unfolding U.S. initiative.
As Operation Southern Spear expands, Curaçao once again finds itself at the intersection of global geopolitics and regional security, raising new questions about sovereignty, legality, and the island’s place in America’s wider war on drugs.
