“Stop maligning Antigua and Barbuda to promote your selfish political interests.” That is the message from E. P. “Chet” Greene, the Foreign Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, to former Puerto Rican legislator, José Aponte Hernández.
The Minister stated, “In a recent outburst, José Aponte Hernández launched unfounded and false allegations against the sovereign nation of Antigua and Barbuda, claiming that our infrastructure developments are part of a military strategy by China, particularly alleging that our airport is used for the landing and take-off of Communist Chinese bombers.”
Aponte, a veteran New Progressive Party lawmaker said in a written statement “The creation of dual infrastructure on the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, because the docks and, in particular, the airport, are being developed for the purpose of being used for the landing and take-off of Communist Chinese bombers, is the greatest threat to our nation since the Soviet Union established a robust military presence in Cuba in 1961”.
The at-large House legislator’s remarks followed numerous media reports last week about the investment being made by construction and development companies owned by the Chinese government in Antigua and Barbuda in the eastern Caribbean .
Officials from the U.S. Armed Forces Southern Command, based in Florida, have indicated that the “increase” of personnel and facilities of the Chinese government in the Caribbean is part of its effort for espionage actions and military use on islands that are just 220 miles from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Puerto Rico, as it did in the 1960s, plays a crucial role in stopping the advance of communism in the Caribbean,” Aponte Hernández said. “Leaders of our nation, both in Congress and in the Executive Branch, know about this and know that Puerto Rico is the democratic enclave that is needed to stop these advances of an ideology that enslaves its people, that does not allow freedom of expression and that oppresses its opponents.” (Aponte)
“I call on all New Progressives to incorporate this new geopolitical reality to take the message and raise awareness among congressmen, state legislators, governors and other elected officials, both federal and state, to talk about this in their messages about the need for statehood for Puerto Rico,” the former speaker of the island House of Representatives added. “We have to be active and move on this issue quickly, because it is a matter of national security that, whether we like it or not, places us at the center of this new political reality in the Caribbean, and we must capitalize positively to finish solving the problem of the territory.” (Aponte)
Greene went on to say “His statement is not only baseless, but it also appears crafted to promote his long-held and unsuccessful desire to annex Puerto Rico to the United States as a state.”
“Antigua and Barbuda is a world-renowned tourism destination. Our airport and seaport welcome many of the world’s leading airlines and cruise ships, bearing hundreds of thousands of US citizens annually, including officers of the US Embassy. Not one of these entities or individuals has ever corroborated Mr. Aponte’s outrageous and highly malicious claims.”
“These assertions by Mr. Aponte are grounded in a sensationalist article written by a known ardent anti-China advocate in the publication Newsweek. Aponte demonstrated a profound disregard for the truth by not seeking to ascertain the facts before uttering his falsehoods against a neighboring country, thereby calling into question his credibility as a responsible leader in Puerto Rico.”
”I doubt that Mr. Aponte will be decent enough to apologize but, as the Foreign Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, I am compelled to demand that he cease using unfounded and libelous statements against our sovereign nation. We urge him to focus on constructive and truthful discourse, rather than propagating falsehoods that serve no purpose other than to promote his political ambitions at the expense of the people of Antigua and Barbuda.”
“Our country remains committed to stability and prosperity in the region, fostering relationships based on respect and mutual benefit. We stand strong against any efforts to undermine our nation through deceit and manipulation and will continue to uphold our values of democracy and freedom.”
