Governor Albert Bryan Jr. voiced support on Monday for the deployment of American naval vessels to the southern Caribbean, an operation aimed at curbing the flow of narcotics from South America, particularly Venezuela. “If we could stop this flow of drugs to our shores, why wouldn't we be for that?” he said.
Bryan explained that heightened law enforcement along the U.S. southern border has forced traffickers to rely more heavily on Caribbean routes. “Along with the cocaine comes a lot of bad actors, murder and a lot of things we don't want,” he noted. “So I am for it.”
Acknowledging that some may have concerns about the president’s broader use of military forces, Bryan pointed out that Virgin Islands leaders have long sought federal assistance with drug interdiction. “Every single year we go to D.C., we beg for more Border Patrol, we beg for more Coast Guard, we beg for more ICE agents, because we are a very porous border,” he said.
Beyond security benefits, Bryan added that the increased military presence would also bring economic activity to the territory. “I understand we have some soldiers staying here in St. Croix as well too,” he said. “I am for it…. If you want to put two or three hundred soldiers here in St. Croix as part of that initiative, they gotta eat, drink and make merriment in our community. We are happy to have them.”
In line with the governor's comments, sources with knowledge of the deployment confirmed that troops expected to be stationed in the territory include members of the Marines, Navy, and Air Force.
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