Marco Rubio to Meet with Caribbean Leaders

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will hold talks with Caribbean leaders on Wednesday focused on regional security, migration, and drug trafficking, according to the U.S. State Department.

The talks are being held in Saint Kitts and Nevis alongside the Fiftieth Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government Meeting, which brings together leaders from 15 Caribbean member states.

According to Reuters, Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles, has been a leading voice in the current U.S. administration pushing for tougher policies toward Cuba’s communist leadership and the former left-wing government in Venezuela. His visit follows a U.S. military operation on January 3 in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured, and dozens of people, including 32 Cuban bodyguards, were killed.

At the same time, U.S. sanctions have blocked oil shipments to Cuba, worsening energy shortages on the island.

Prime Minister John Briceño is also attending the summit. He left Belize on Sunday with Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer Amalia Mai, and Ambassador to CARICOM Lawrence Sylvester.

Briceño is scheduled to return on March 1, with Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde serving as acting Prime Minister during his absence.