The prime ministers of Barbados, Mia Mottley, and Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, led the call from Caribbean leaders this Wednesday to act as a bridge between Washington and Havana, at the conclusion of the annual summit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Castries, Saint Lucia.
According to EFE reported, CARICOM has formally notified both the United States and Cuba that it is willing to facilitate conversations between the two countries, although the 15 member states of the bloc were unable to adopt a broader common position on the situation on the island.
"This is not an easy topic," Mottley admitted at the conclusion of the four-day meeting. "I believe we all agree that conversations and debate must take place, but without prejudice... for a peaceful resolution to what is happening with Cuba: that there is a humanitarian crisis and this reality can no longer be ignored."
The mediation offer comes amidst an unprecedented escalation of pressure from the Trump administration on the Cuban regime, which since January 2026 has imposed more than 240 sanctions, reducing the island's energy imports by between 80% and 90% and causing blackouts of up to 22-25 hours a day.
Mottley illustrated with a concrete example the consequences of these measures on neighboring countries: an attempt to purchase powdered milk for babies intended for Cuba was rejected four times by the banks before the payment could be processed on Tuesday.
"We acknowledge that this will always be a complicated issue, as was acknowledged on Tuesday during the United Nations vote," said the Prime Minister of Barbados.
"But we want to stay focused on humanitarian efforts, and we want to remain focused on the dialogue that must take place for the resolution of this matter."
The reference to the UN refers to the vote on Tuesday in the General Assembly, which approved an urgent debate on the U.S. embargo against Cuba with 136 votes in favor, nine against, and 30 abstentions, marking the first time the regime has resorted to this extraordinary mechanism.
That vote, however, revealed fractures within the Caribbean bloc: Dominica and the Dominican Republic abstained, breaking CARICOM's tradition of consensus on matters related to Cuba.
The Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Terrance Drew, who lived in Cuba for seven years while studying medicine, summarized the sentiment of the bloc: "All of us who are part of CARICOM and the region are deeply moved by what has happened."
The growing concern in the Caribbean over the humanitarian deterioration in Cuba has prompted several countries to send assistance individually since the summit in February, when the bloc agreed on a coordinated response that included food, medicine, and solar panels.
Washington's pressure was also felt on other agenda topics: the agreements to host deported migrants from third countries and the Citizenship by Investment program were left without a common stance, despite both issues directly impacting the island economies.
The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, warned that his country raises about 100 million dollars annually from that program and that eliminating it "may not be the most viable option."
The summit also overcame internal tensions: Persad-Bissessar had objected to the reappointment of the block's secretary general, Carla Barnett, but by the end of the meeting, the dispute was sufficiently resolved.
"I have always said that Trinidad remains committed to CARICOM. We have unwavering support for CARICOM," he declared.
Mottley concluded with an image that encapsulates the bloc's stance on the conflict between the two powers: "When you live in a neighborhood, what happens in the neighborhood affects everyone. The neighborhood extends from Florida to Guyana and Suriname."
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