Is Washington Forcing Caribbean Leaders to Shift on Cuba?

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali used an appearance on Fox News after the Shield of the Americas Summit in Florida on Friday to say the communist-run Cuba needs political change.

“We all agree that the status quo cannot remain,” Ali said, adding that any transition should bring “democracy” and “freedom” for the Cuban people.

His comments place Guyana among Caribbean governments now taking a firmer tone on Havana as Washington ramps up pressure on countries that have maintained years of close cooperation with Havana, especially in healthcare.

The Trump administration remains stern in accusing Cuba’s medical brigades to other countries of forced labour and has threatened visa sanctions against countries that participate. The pressure has already had ripple effects. Jamaica recently ended its decades-long medical cooperation programme with Cuba after failing to agree on new terms. Havana responded by pointing fingers at Trump’s “bullying” of the region.

At the same time, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar also attended Trump’s Shield of the America’s Summit. She was already under criticism at home after declaring her government would not support Cuba’s communist government at CARICOM’s 50th Heads of States meeting a couple of weeks ago in February.