Caribbean Leaders Meet Amid U.S. Actions in Region

Leaders from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are meeting in St Kitts this week for a four-day summit to discuss trade, regional cooperation, and major issues affecting the Caribbean. The talks, hosted by St Kitts Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew, bring together leaders from all 15 member countries.

Ahead of the summit, Dr Drew visited all member countries to ensure full participation, with Prime Minister John Briceño leaving Belize on Sunday to join the talks.

Deputy Secretary General Dr Armstrong Alexis said leaders are ready for tough conversations. “Well, obviously, you know there will be a lot of conversations around the geopolitical situation that is occupying the minds and thoughts of not just the community but people worldwide,” he told reporters.

The meeting comes as Washington’s removal of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and its decision to cut Cuba off from Venezuelan oil supplies have stirred debate in the region. Former CARICOM leaders have urged the U.S. to ease its stance, calling the situation in Cuba a humanitarian crisis.

The summit is expected to be lively, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio possibly attending, giving the region a chance to present its concerns directly to Washington.

It also opened a day after the U.S. military carried out a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people.