The U.S. Under Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, thanked the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for its vote against the UN resolution calling for an end to the embargo on Cuba, a decision he interpreted as support for a democratic transition on the island.
In a message posted on X, Landau expressed his recognition of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whose government broke with more than three decades of support for the resolution presented annually before the United Nations.
“Prime Minister, the United States acknowledges and thanks your Government for voting in favor of a democratic transition in Cuba at the UN this year,” wrote the official, according to the newspaper Trinidad Guardian.
"We are proud to stand alongside Trinidad and Tobago and other democracies in the region denouncing the repressive Cuban regime," he added.
Landau also questioned the countries that continue to support Havana and posed a direct question: "How can countries vote in favor of a regime that has not allowed its own people to vote for nearly 68 years?"
The prime minister responded to the American gratitude by reaffirming her stance on the political rights of Cubans.
"The Government of Trinidad and Tobago defends democracy, freedom, human dignity, and the right of all citizens, including the people of Cuba, to freely determine their political future," stated Persad-Bissessar.
The exchange occurred after Trinidad and Tobago voted on Wednesday, October 28, alongside the United States against the resolution that calls for the lifting of the economic, commercial, and financial embargo on Cuba.
It was the only country in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that voted against the resolution, while other nations in the region, such as Jamaica and Guyana, chose to abstain.
The initiative was approved by the General Assembly with 130 votes in favor, 17 against, and 25 abstentions.
Trinidad and Tobago had abstained in 1992 when the resolution started to be debated, and since 1993 it had voted in favor of its approval.
The decision prompted a significant shift in its foreign policy towards Havana.
After the vote, Persad-Bissessar publicly defended her stance and stated that her government would not support what she termed a "military dictatorship" in Cuba.
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