Regional security improving after Maduro capture, says Guyana president

Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali says the security climate across the Caribbean and Latin America has improved in recent weeks following major political developments in neighbouring Venezuela.

Ali made the remarks during an interview with Fox News on Saturday while attending the Shield of the Americas Summit in Doral.

The Guyanese leader addressed several geopolitical issues affecting the region, including developments in Venezuela, governance in Cuba, and the ongoing fight against drug trafficking organisations.

Guyana, which shares a border with Venezuela, has been closely monitoring the situation following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. Maduro was seized in a United States military operation in January 2026 and later taken to the United States to face federal drug-trafficking charges.

According to Ali, tensions previously linked to the Maduro administration had been a source of concern for Guyana and other countries in the region. However, he said the situation has improved since Maduro’s capture.

“That by itself has brought a change in the mindset, a change in the condition, and we have seen greater stability, less rhetoric,” the president said.

Ali also noted that Venezuelan authorities have been taking steps, in keeping with agreements with the United States, to create a safer national environment and expand economic opportunities while promoting democratic governance.

He said the developments are already having a positive effect on regional stability.

“Wherever there is less rhetoric about conflict, there is greater confidence in the system, and wherever there is momentum towards democracy, there are greater prospects for the region,” he added.

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Commitment to tackling drug trafficking

During the interview, Ali also spoke about the ongoing regional fight against drug trafficking and organised crime.

He said Caribbean and Latin American countries have long been concerned about drug cartels operating across maritime routes and border regions, often exploiting countries’ Exclusive Economic Zones and weak transit corridors.

“It’s an issue that has exposed the region, has given the region a bad name in terms of drugs. So, we support the strong action on drug cartel,” the president said.

Ali added that Guyana supports regional initiatives aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organisations, particularly those involved in narco-terrorism.

“We have supported the charter to deal with transnational crime, especially the narco-terrorism and these cartels,” he said.

According to the president, the strategy involves stronger border protection, increased security cooperation and direct action to disrupt criminal networks.

CARICOM discussions on Cuba

Ali was also asked about political developments in Cuba and comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting the island could face major political change.

The Guyanese president said leaders within the Caribbean Community recently discussed the situation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

According to Ali, regional leaders agreed that the current status quo in Cuba cannot remain unchanged, but any transformation should happen gradually through dialogue.

“There must be dialogue, but those changes must lead to the improvement of the people of Cuba, must lead to better conditions for the people of Cuba, must lead to a society in which the rule of law, in which democracy, in which freedom is celebrated,” he said.

Ali attended the summit alongside Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd and Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud, among other officials.