Pragmatism Without Illusions: Curaçao Between Trump and Venezuela

Pragmatism Without Illusions: Curaçao Between Trump and Venezuela

6 January 2026

In recent days, a Reel circulated on social media in which a Curaçaoan opposition leader called for pragmatism in dealing with Venezuela. The argument was straightforward: regardless of style or moral objections, the removal of Maduro is what matters; anything that contributes to that goal should be welcomed. The position sounds realistic, but analytically, it is weak.

I responded sharply, initially in Papiamentu. The essence of my response was that pragmatism does not mean ignoring motives. Trump is not acting based on a democratic agenda, does not cooperate with Venezuela’s legitimate democratic opposition, and does not place the interests of the Venezuelan people at the center. His focus is on resource politics. Those who fail to acknowledge this confuse realpolitik with wishful thinking.

The same line of reasoning appeared in an article in the Antilliaans Dagblad, which argued that moral considerations should be set aside to make room for pragmatic realpolitik (Antilliaans Dagblad, 2026). That argument, however, assumes something that is currently absent: stability. Without a minimum level of predictability, realpolitik is not strategy; it is gambling.

This issue was discussed at length on 15 December 2025 during a radio interview with Mr. Sparen. The central question was whether Curaçao could benefit from the emerging new geopolitical order. The immediate trigger was the news that María Corina Machado had been transported via Curaçao to Oslo in early December to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. As a result, Curaçao suddenly became a visible part of an international conflict. Geopolitics was no longer abstract; it became front-page news.

The answer I gave then—later repeated on television—was deliberately historical. Curaçao has benefited before from geopolitical shifts, notably during the Second World War through fuel refining for the Allies, and also through the rise of the offshore sector.

My concern today is that we are once again thinking too quickly in terms of opportunities, without seriously weighing the global risk landscape. According to Time Magazine and the Eurasia Group, 2026 is defined precisely by an accumulation of global risks (Eurasia Group, 2026; Time, 2026). These include political disruption in the United States; growing Chinese dominance in technology and energy; a tougher and less predictable U.S. approach to Latin America; a politically fragmented Europe; heightened tensions between Russia and NATO; the rise of American state capitalism; deflationary pressures originating in China; artificial intelligence as a systemic risk; stalled North American trade relations; and water increasingly being used as a geopolitical instrument.

In such a context, Curaçao is not a strategic player capable of repositioning itself at will, but a small open economy largely exposed to external shocks.

Historically, Curaçao has always operated pragmatically and opportunistically, rarely in a moralistic way. Sectors such as offshore finance, online gambling, and premium-rate services illustrate that economic choices have often been made at the edge of moral and legal boundaries. That is not a value judgment, but an observation. Still, pragmatism does not mean that anything goes. Even pragmatic politics requires limits and long-term vision.

What now threatens is a repetition of a familiar pattern: constructing façades, nurturing geopolitical illusions, and searching for quick fixes. Meanwhile, the real issues remain unresolved—population aging, the erosion of the social system, and a structurally declining level of education. There are no quick fixes for these problems. Even deeper integration within the Kingdom is a process of years, not a geopolitical shortcut.

Pragmatism without analysis is not realpolitik. It is self-deception.

Miguel Goede

References (APA)

Antilliaans Dagblad. (2026). Analyse: Ook ruimte voor realpolitik. Willemstad.

Eurasia Group. (2026). Top risks 2026. New York: Eurasia Group.

Time Magazine. (2026, January 6). The top 10 global risks of 2026.

Facebook. (2026). Reel by a Curaçaoan opposition leader on pragmatism and Venezuela. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/reel/1186612966977731