Lula’s Critique of US Military Presence in the Caribbean Ignores America’s Legitimate Security Interests

During a recent virtual BRICS summit, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched a sharp critique against the United States’ military presence in the Caribbean. Labeling it a "factor of tension incompatible with the vocation of peace" in the region, Lula framed American deployments—including warships armed with missiles and a nuclear-powered submarine near Venezuelan waters—as provocative incursions undermining regional harmony. But is this condemnation truly aligned with common-sense conservatism and America First principles? The answer is a resounding no. While Lula’s rhetoric paints Washington as an aggressor, it conveniently omits that these deployments are defensive maneuvers essential to protecting...