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THE HAGUE--The proximity of Venezuelan warships to Aruba and Curaçao territorial waters did not constitute a military threat, according to Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans.
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard on July 27 signalled Venezuelan navy ships in front of the coast of Aruba and Curaçao, outside the islands' territorial waters, stated Timmermans in a letter to the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament earlier this week.
Timmermans clarified in his response to written questions by Members of the Second Chamber Wassila Hachchi and Sjoerd Sjoerdsma of the Democratic Party D66 that the Venezuelan ships were "in transit" from Maracaibo to their home base Porte Cabello. "This is a usual route. No military threats have been expressed," he stated.
The minister said in response to a question of Hachchi and Sjoerdsma that there was no reason to take actions in relation to the possible threat by Venezuela for the Kingdom following the arrest in Aruba of consul general Hugo Carvajal Barrios last month. Carvajal was initially granted diplomatic immunity and shortly thereafter released.
In his response, Timmermans explained that the decision to release Carvajal was based on the Treaty of Vienna. The fact that the request by Venezuela to appoint him consul general in Aruba was done in an incorrect manner, not via the customary way, did not have an influence on his decision to grant Carvajal diplomatic immunity.
According to Timmermans, Venezuela could count on it that Carvajal could work as the new consul general in Oranjestad in anticipation of the approval or denial by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. As such Carvajal enjoyed the immunities of being a consul general, he added. Carvajal lost his diplomatic immunity when he left the Kingdom.
Upon his release, Timmermans declared Carvajal, who was wanted by United States authorities for having alleged drug trafficking ties, persona non grata. The minister clarified that as such Carvajal would never be able to hold a diplomatic position in the Kingdom again. "By taking the decision to declare Carvajal persona non grata, it is clear that he is no longer welcome in the Kingdom," Timmermans stated.
The minister also replied to written questions submitted by Members of the Second Chamber Han ten Broeke and André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party about the role of the US in this issue.
Timmermans explained that the decision to grant Carvajal immunity was taken by the Netherlands on its own, without consulting US authorities. He clarified that the US did not get in contact either with the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs or Home Affairs regarding their request to arrest Carvajal in Aruba.
