Caribbean: On 26-27 March US Secretary of State Marco Rubio travelled to Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname. According to a press statement by US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce before the visit, Rubio’s engagements were aimed at promoting “regional cooperation to end illegal immigration, counter transnational organized crime, strengthen regional actions to address Haiti’s political and security challenges, and strengthen the United States’ economic partnerships with Caribbean countries”. While in Jamaica Rubio met Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the two discussed security, reaffirming “commitments to enhance cooperation in combating transnational crime”. Holness and Rubio also discussed “expanded and repurposing development assistance towards our shared goals, including security” and “avenues to further expand” bilateral trade which surpassed US$3bn in 2023, and explored means to “attract increased US investment into Jamaica’s emerging sectors”. While in Jamaica Rubio held bilateral meetings with Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Stuart Young, and the president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, Fritz-Alphonse Jean. In Guyana Rubio and Foreign Minister Hugh Todd signed a Memorandum of Understanding to “deepen security cooperation and address regional challenges, including countering narcotics trafficking and transnational organized crime”. According to the US State Department, under this mechanism, Guyana and the US “will strengthen information sharing, synthetic drug detection, transnational organized crime investigations and prosecutions, and military-to-military cooperation”. In Suriname Rubio met President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. A US State Department press release cites Santokhi as saying the two “discussed opportunities for strengthening and expanding our bilateral relation and cooperation and furtherance of our partnership regionally”. He added that the “importance of energy security in the Caribbean region was also addressed and discussed with Suriname, but also with Guyana, which are playing a crucial role.”
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