Caribbean countries have pledged to send humanitarian assistance to Cuba, which is facing a severe crisis exacerbated by a US fuel embargo. The announcement came at the end of a four-day Caribbean Community (Caricom) summit in St Kitts and Nevis, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was present to discuss relations with the region.
The summit took place against a backdrop of rising tensions between Cuba and the US, following the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by US forces and the imposition of an oil blockade on Cuba in January. Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness called for dialogue to de-escalate the situation, warning of “severe economic hardship, energy shortages and growing humanitarian strain” that could affect the wider region.
Caricom chair and St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew said the 15-member bloc would respond “in a significant way” within a month. However, when asked about a joint statement condemning US military intervention in the region—including strikes on suspected drug boats that killed at least 151 people—Drew said the body was still gathering information to ensure a comprehensive response.
Disagreements among Caricom members hampered a unified stance. Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who praised US military actions, challenged calls to protect the Caribbean as a zone of peace, citing high murder rates in her country linked to drug trafficking. Political analyst Peter Wickham noted that such divisions made consensus difficult, as Caricom must reflect all members' perspectives.
David Abdulah of the Assembly of Caribbean People criticised Caricom leaders for failing to defend Cuba's sovereignty, suggesting that Rubio's visit aimed to split the bloc. He warned that US efforts to divide the region could endanger national sovereignty and citizens' wellbeing. Despite concerns over disunity, Drew emphasised that Caricom does not have a single foreign policy, leaving individual countries to decide their own positions.
