The growing US military threat to Venezuela is spreading unease among Caribbean islands that depend on tourism to sustain their vulnerable economies.

Any hostilities could drive away sun-seeking visitors just as the peak tourism season is getting underway. In places like Aruba, St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda, tourism jobs account for more than 75% of employment.

“We always maintain that the Caribbean is a zone of peace and we want to ensure that it is a zone of peace,” Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness told Bloomberg Friday on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in South Africa. “Any action that challenges that or changes that view would have or could have a devastating impact on tourism.”

The US has been surging forces into the Caribbean for months as it ramps up pressure on Venezu

See Full Page