Caribbean leaders confront U.S. over military strikes and Cuba policy

Caribbean leaders convened Tuesday in St. Kitts and Nevis for a four-day summit focused on the region’s strained relationship with the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet with the group Wednesday as the Caribbean Community — a 15-member trade bloc known as CARICOM — seeks to present a unified position on escalating tensions, including U.S. military operations that have killed at least 151 people since September.

The summit reflects deepening friction between Washington’s security priorities — mandatory deportations, restrictions on Chinese investment, and military strikes against suspected drug traffickers — and Caribbean nations’ efforts to protect their sovereignty and address the humanitarian toll from a tightened U.S. embargo on Cuba, which is suffering severe fuel shortages.

The summit arrives amid deepening U.S.-Caribbean tensions. CARICOM has filed formal complaints against Washington over the past year, which officials will present in coordinated fashion.

Member nations object to U.S. requirements that they accept third-country deportees, face pressure to reject Cuban medical missions, and are being pushed to restrict Chinese investment in their territories. The U.S. has also suspended immigrant visa processing for Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda and has applied pressure on nations to roll back passport and citizenship-by-investment programs that generate government revenue in smaller island economies.

Regional Grievances on Autonomy

At the summit’s opening Tuesday, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the outgoing chair of CARICOM, directly addressed the issue of regional autonomy.

“Every member of CARICOM has the right to decide how best to defend its territory and maritime domain,” Holness said.

Military Operations Draw Scrutiny

The U.S. military campaign in Caribbean waters is a central point of contention. Since early September, American forces have conducted strikes targeting suspected drug-trafficking boats, resulting in at least 151 deaths. The U.S. military has not provided evidence that the targeted vessels were ferrying narcotics. Families of those killed have denounced the operations as unjustified.

A strike on Monday killed three people in the Caribbean Sea, continuing a pattern of operations that has killed fishermen alongside suspected traffickers.

Cuba’s Crisis Takes Center Stage

Cuba’s situation dominates the summit’s agenda. The Trump administration has tightened a longstanding embargo on the island nation, which has implemented fuel-conservation measures after Venezuela and Mexico halted oil shipments. The fuel shortage is hampering Cuba’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa, which struck eastern Cuba in late October as a Category 3 storm.

Holness addressed the humanitarian dimensions of Cuba’s crisis, framing it as a regional concern rather than an isolated problem.

“Cuba is our Caribbean neighbor. Its doctors and teachers have served across our region,” Holness said. “We must address the situation in Cuba with clarity and courage.”

He described Cubans as facing “severe economic hardship, energy shortages and growing humanitarian strain,” and warned that the crisis extends beyond the island.

“A prolonged crisis in Cuba will not remain confined to Cuba. It will affect migration, security and economic stability across the Caribbean basin,” Holness warned.

Jamaica, he emphasized, remains committed to dialogue. “Jamaica supports constructive dialogue between Cuba and the U.S. aimed at de-escalation, reform and stability,” Holness said.

Caribbean Leaders Push for Dialogue

Fred Mitchell, the Bahamian foreign minister, told the Associated Press that Caribbean nations expect substantive discussions with Secretary Rubio centered on fundamental principles.

“It is about mutual respect and a rules-based order,” Mitchell said. “Those are some of the things we would expect from the meeting, and we are also available for any private dialogue with Mr. Rubio.”

Mark Kirton, a retired international relations professor formerly with the University of the West Indies, stressed the importance of presenting a unified Caribbean voice.

“It is crucial for Caribbean unity,” Kirton said, describing the summit as an opportunity to convey unified messaging. “It will let Mr. Rubio know that we are speaking with one voice.”

Godwin Friday, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has emphasized the necessity of coordinated regional responses. He said the region has received a memorandum of understanding to review regarding deportation procedures and security cooperation.

“CARICOM and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean states were put together for a purpose, and we must use that in a way for us to seek to have common approaches,” Friday said.

Not all Caribbean leaders oppose the U.S. military operations. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, praised the operations. She thanked Trump, Rubio and the U.S. military “for standing firm against narcotrafficking,” stating that her nation’s security challenges are too severe to address through military and police resources alone.

The U.S. State Department indicated that Rubio will discuss approaches to promoting regional security, stability, trade and economic growth in both group and bilateral meetings.

The summit’s broader agenda includes discussions on security, reparations, climate change, development financing and economic integration through a proposed single market framework for the region.

The situation in Cuba also directly affects Caribbean humanitarian assistance efforts. Francisco Pichón, Cuba’s representative to the United Nations, told the Associated Press that the embargo is preventing international aid from reaching communities still recovering from Hurricane Melissa.

“The energy blockade and fuel shortages affect the entire logistics chain involved in being able to work in Cuba at this time, anywhere in the country,” Pichón said.