MILITARY AID OR KILLER DEAL: U.S. WEAPONS TRADE AND MILITARY TRAINING IN THE CARIBBEAN, 1790 - 2001 Guest Speaker: Dr. Humberto Garcia Muñiz

REGIONAL SECURITY SYSTEM

Another new actor which appears here is the Regional Security System. In 1979, the New Jewel Movement takes power in Grenada in a coup. The Grenada Revolution was not a revolution, it was a coup. They were in power until 1983 when the so-called revolution imploded. They had an internal war, Maurice Bishop was killed and the U.S. intervened. And was asked to intervene by several Caribbean countries. Those countries are mainly the Regional Security System. They formed after 1983. The main island there is Barbados. You have St. Vincent, Grenada, Antigua, St. Lucia, Monserrat and I forgot the other. There are seven. But notice they are a new actor here and they get loans. They are not getting grants. When I started my research in this thing, I was surprised by a small notice in the Washington Post saying that in 1980, they were discussing whether to lower the rates of loans to Barbados. Barbados is a small eountry, its economy is not prosperous and, even though itıs supporting you in invading Grenada, you are lending money to it at an interest rate.

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