Cuban President Warns of “Bloodbath” Amid Rising U.S. Tensions

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𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

Havana, Cuba — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has issued a stark warning that any United States military action against the island would trigger a “bloodbath” with far-reaching consequences for regional stability.

The statement follows reports from U.S.-based outlet Axios citing classified intelligence that Cuba has developed a fleet of more than 300 military drones. These systems are reportedly capable of targeting U.S. military installations, including Guantanamo Bay and potentially sites as far as Key West, Florida.
In a post on social media platform X, Díaz-Canel dismissed allegations of Cuban aggression, asserting that the island nation poses no threat to the United States. However, he emphasized Cuba’s right to defend its sovereignty.
“The threat of military aggression against Cuba from the world’s greatest power is well known,” Díaz-Canel said. “If it were to materialize, it would trigger a bloodbath with incalculable consequences and severely undermine regional peace and stability.”

The warning comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Havana. The United States has reportedly intensified pressure on Cuba, including the imposition of a blockade restricting oil and gas shipments. The move has deepened Cuba’s ongoing energy crisis, with widespread blackouts now lasting up to 22 hours per day in some areas.
Cuba’s energy shortfall has been compounded by the loss of Venezuelan oil supplies following recent U.S. military action in that country, which resulted in the removal of President Nicolás Maduro. The combined pressures have triggered growing public unrest on the island.

Diplomatic signals have also hardened. CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently traveled to Havana to deliver a message from President Donald Trump, indicating that Washington remains open to negotiations — but only if Cuba undertakes what were described as “fundamental changes.” U.S. officials have warned that the window for dialogue is rapidly closing.
Cuban officials, however, appear unmoved. Lianys Torres Rivera, Cuba’s Charge d’Affaires in Washington, stated that Havana would adhere to its “red lines” and is preparing for the possibility of military confrontation.

Meanwhile, additional pressure may emerge through legal channels. Reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Justice is exploring the possibility of indicting former Cuban President Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of aircraft operated by the exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Any such move would require approval from a grand jury.

The unfolding developments signal a dangerous escalation in U.S.-Cuba relations, with potential implications not only for the Caribbean but for broader hemispheric security.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮,𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨. — ✦—

CITIZENSHIP FOR SALE

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BY: Staff— Writer

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣.

A corruption scandal of staggering proportions has been unearthed within Trinidad and Tobago’s Immigration Division, exposing a deeply entrenched system where access to citizenship, residency, work permits, and even basic passport services was allegedly sold to the highest bidder.
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander did not mince words. The system, he said, was “rotten to the core.” What has emerged is not a case of isolated misconduct, but a coordinated racket operating for years under weak oversight and questionable internal controls.

According to the minister, individuals were forced to pay as much as TT$90,000 for residency and citizenship documents—services that should be processed transparently and lawfully.
Even more alarming are reports that some foreign nationals allegedly secured residency by constructing homes for immigration officials, raising serious concerns about national security, abuse of office, and the integrity of the country’s border management system.
This is not merely bureaucratic corruption—it is the commodification of sovereignty.

The allegations point to a sophisticated scheme where applications were deliberately delayed or withheld unless payments were made. In some cases, documents already approved at the ministerial level were reportedly held back by officers seeking illicit payments. Transactions were said to occur discreetly, even in public spaces such as parking lots in Port of Spain.
Equally troubling is the claim that legitimate applicants—particularly from within the Caribbean—were left waiting for years, while those willing to pay were fast-tracked, sometimes without even being interviewed.

That reality strikes at the heart of regional integration and fairness.
The minister also raised red flags about an apparent stranglehold by a private international firm over aspects of the Immigration Department’s operations, despite the availability of cheaper alternatives. Questions must now be asked about procurement practices, contractual transparency, and whether this arrangement facilitated or masked deeper systemic abuses.
In response, authorities have initiated a shake-up within the Division, sending several officials on leave and launching investigations involving the police and Cyber Crime Unit. Systems have reportedly been tightened, with ministerial approvals and document flows now subject to daily monitoring.

But while these are necessary steps, they are reactive.
The real issue is how such a racket was allowed to flourish undetected for years.
The minister himself acknowledged a breakdown in oversight, with the Immigration Division effectively operating outside the control of the Ministry. Instructions were allegedly ignored, information withheld, and systems manipulated by insiders who understood exactly how to exploit institutional weaknesses.

For Guyanese observers, this situation should not be viewed with detachment.
It serves as a cautionary tale.
As Guyana continues to modernise its own immigration systems and expand its global footprint, particularly amid rapid economic transformation, the risks of similar vulnerabilities cannot be ignored. Weak systems, opaque processes, and unchecked discretion create fertile ground for corruption—especially where high demand intersects with limited accountability.

The introduction of e-passports and digital systems, as proposed in Trinidad and Tobago, is a step forward—but technology alone cannot cure institutional decay. Without strong governance, transparent procedures, whistleblower protections, and real consequences for misconduct, corruption simply adapts.
What is required is sustained political will.
Minister Alexander has called on whistleblowers to come forward, assuring anonymity and protection.

That appeal is critical, but it must be backed by visible enforcement. Public confidence will depend not on statements, but on prosecutions, convictions, and systemic reform.
Because at its core, this scandal is about more than immigration.
It is about trust in the state.
When public officials can allegedly sell access to citizenship and manipulate who enters or remains within a country, the very foundation of governance is compromised.

And once that trust is broken, rebuilding it is far more difficult than exposing the corruption in the first place.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮,𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨. — ✦—

Caricom Raises Alarm Over Middle East Conflict, Calls for Protection of Global Shipping Routes

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The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has expressed “serious concern” over escalating hostilities in the Middle East, particularly military activity affecting the Strait of Hormuz, warning of far-reaching consequences for global trade and vulnerable economies.
In a statement issued yesterday, the regional body said it was “alarmed by the severe loss of life, threats to civil infrastructure, and the instability in global markets” arising from the ongoing conflict.

Tensions have intensified following large-scale air strikes launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran. The situation remains volatile, with Iran signalling that indirect exchanges with Washington are ongoing through Pakistani mediators, even as negotiations appear stalled.
United States President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Tehran, declaring that the “clock is ticking” on efforts to end the war.

However, he indicated a possible shift in Washington’s position, suggesting he could accept a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear programme rather than insisting on its complete dismantlement — a key sticking point in previous talks.
Caricom underscored that the conflict is already disrupting maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes. The passage is governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which guarantees the right of transit passage.

“The disruption of transit passage has consequences which reverberate across the global economy — through energy markets, supply chains and increased freight costs,” Caricom noted, warning that such impacts disproportionately burden small, import-dependent states, including those in the Caribbean.

Reaffirming its commitment to international law, Caricom stressed that all its member states are parties to UNCLOS and that the rights it enshrines are binding under customary international law.
“The right of passage under UNCLOS should not be contingent on any licence, levy or authorization, and bordering states should not hamper or suspend transit passage,” the statement emphasized.

The regional bloc called on all parties involved in the conflict to respect international law, restore safe and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and ensure the safety of seafarers and vessels.
It further urged an immediate cessation of hostilities and renewed diplomatic efforts, stressing the urgent need for de-escalation and restraint.
Caricom said it will continue to monitor developments closely, reiterating its support for diplomacy as the only viable path to sustainable peace in the Middle East and stability in the global system.

Alex Saab deported to US amid deepening post-Maduro cooperation

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𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣.    

Alex Saab, the Colombian-Venezuelan businessman long regarded as a key ally of Nicolás Maduro, has been deported to the United States, according to Venezuela’s migration agency, in a move that underscores an extraordinary shift in relations between Caracas and Washington.

Saab, 54, was arrested in Caracas in February during what officials described as a joint operation involving US and Venezuelan authorities. His detention followed the dramatic capture of Maduro himself by US special forces a month earlier, an event that has upended Venezuela’s political landscape and ushered in an interim administration led by acting president Delcy Rodríguez.
The deportation marks a striking escalation in cooperation between the two countries, which for years were locked in bitter diplomatic and legal confrontation. Under Maduro, Saab had been portrayed as a diplomatic envoy and was central to efforts to circumvent US sanctions, particularly through complex international procurement networks.

Saab’s legal history has been equally contentious. Arrested in Cape Verde in 2020, he was later extradited to the United States on money laundering charges linked to alleged corruption in Venezuelan government contracts. In 2023, he was granted clemency by US authorities in exchange for the release of detained Americans, a move that drew criticism from some lawmakers but was defended as a pragmatic diplomatic trade-off.

His return to US custody now raises the prospect that Saab could provide testimony or evidence relevant to the prosecution of Maduro and other senior figures. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were transferred to New York earlier this year and face charges including conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, allegations they have consistently denied.

Legal representatives for Saab offered little immediate clarity on his latest transfer. Luigi Giuliano, an Italian lawyer who has previously represented him, said he was not involved in Saab’s US legal matters and could not confirm details of the deportation. Other counsel did not respond to requests for comment.

For Washington, Saab has long been seen as a pivotal figure in understanding the financial architecture underpinning Maduro’s government. His reappearance in US jurisdiction may therefore prove consequential, not only for the ongoing criminal cases but also for broader efforts to map and dismantle transnational corruption networks linked to Venezuela’s former leadership.

The developments signal a profound realignment in Venezuela’s international posture, with the Rodríguez administration appearing willing to collaborate with former adversaries as it navigates a fragile political transition.

Trump’s Cuba Gambit Threatens to Drag the Caribbean Into Another American War.

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BY: Staff— Writer

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣.      

The Trump administration is once again rattling the Caribbean with the language of force, and the region should treat that threat with the seriousness it deserves.

President Donald Trump’s boast that the United States would have “the honour of taking Cuba,” alongside talk of deploying an aircraft carrier group near the island and a sharp rise in US intelligence flights along Cuba’s coastline, points to a deliberate march toward confrontation. This is not isolated rhetoric. It is a pattern — one that mixes intimidation, military posturing, and political recklessness in a region that has already endured too much great-power meddling.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Surveillance flights, sanctions, naval pressure, and public threats do not happen in a vacuum. They are the familiar opening moves of coercive statecraft, the kind that too often ends with civilians paying the price. The claim that Cuba’s government has not broken under pressure appears to have only deepened the White House’s frustration. That should alarm every Caribbean capital. When a superpower begins to treat a sovereign nation’s endurance as a provocation, the odds of escalation rise sharply.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬.

The Senate’s rejection of a war powers resolution means Trump still has broad room to act without meaningful legislative restraint. That failure matters. Lawmakers cannot claim to oppose reckless war while refusing to erect the legal barrier that would actually prevent it. Their inaction leaves the Caribbean exposed to a conflict that could be launched in Washington but felt first in the ports, airports, coastlines, and communities of small island states.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥.

Any military action against Cuba would send tremors through the entire region. Shipping routes could be disrupted. Tourism and trade could be hit. Refugee flows could overwhelm fragile systems. Diplomatic relations would be strained as governments are forced to navigate between US pressure and regional solidarity. Small states would once again be asked to absorb the consequences of decisions they did not make and cannot control.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Caribbean governments must speak with one voice and reject any unilateral military action against Cuba. They should insist on respect for international law, demand congressional approval for any strike, and push back against the normalisation of war talk in the hemisphere. The region cannot afford to respond only after missiles are in the air or ships are already in motion.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

And provocation in the Caribbean has a long, ugly history. When major powers talk casually about “taking” smaller nations, they do not bring honour. They bring instability, suffering, and years of fallout that outlast every headline.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐰 — 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲, 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

Caribbean Sovereignty for Rent? Dominican Republic Opens the Door to U.S. Deportation Pipeline

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BY: Staff— Writer

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣.     

The Dominican Republic has quietly crossed a line that should concern every government and citizen in the Caribbean: it has agreed to become a temporary holding zone for migrants deported by the United States — people who are neither Dominican nor necessarily bound for the region.

Under a one-year “non-binding” memorandum of understanding signed with Washington, Santo Domingo will receive roughly 30 third-country nationals per month, holding them for up to two weeks before they are repatriated. The U.S. will foot the bill. The International Organization for Migration will manage logistics. And crucially, the Dominican public — and its Parliament — were largely bypassed.
This is how precedent is built in the Caribbean: quietly, administratively, and under the language of “cooperation.”

The Dominican government insists the agreement is limited — small numbers, short stays, no Haitians, no minors, no criminal offenders. But the scale is beside the point. What matters is the architecture now being assembled: a U.S.-led deportation network extending into the Caribbean under the banner of the so-called Shield of the Americas, a 17-country security bloc launched earlier this year.
Today it is 30 people per month. Tomorrow, it could be 300.

The more troubling question is not logistical — it is political. What does it mean for sovereignty when a foreign power can externalise its immigration enforcement into smaller states, effectively outsourcing detention and transit functions? What leverage — economic, diplomatic, or security-related — was brought to bear to secure this agreement?
Because arrangements like these are rarely isolated.

In the same breath that it accepted U.S. deportees, the Dominican Republic designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon’s Hezbollah as terrorist organisations — a move aligned squarely with U.S. and Israeli foreign policy priorities. Whether coincidental or coordinated, the optics are unmistakable: alignment with Washington’s strategic agenda is deepening, and quickly.
Meanwhile, the contradiction at the heart of the policy is glaring. Haitians — who share the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic — are explicitly excluded from the U.S. transfer arrangement, even as tens of thousands continue to be deported en masse from Dominican territory.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, more than 68,000 Haitians were repatriated across the region, with the Dominican Republic responsible for the overwhelming majority. The same state now positioning itself as a “temporary humanitarian host” for non-Haitian migrants is simultaneously accelerating expulsions of its most vulnerable neighbour.
This is not policy coherence. It is geopolitical signalling.

For the Caribbean, the implications are immediate. If one state normalises participation in U.S. deportation logistics, others will face similar pressure — particularly those dependent on trade, security cooperation, or visa arrangements with Washington. What is framed as voluntary today can quickly become expected tomorrow.
And once the infrastructure exists — the facilities, the protocols, the legal grey zones — scaling up becomes a matter of policy choice, not feasibility.

The Dominican government may insist this agreement is reversible. But history suggests otherwise. Temporary security arrangements have a way of becoming permanent fixtures, especially when tied to external funding and geopolitical alignment.
This is why the backlash inside the Dominican Republic matters.

Citizens are asking the right questions: Why was Parliament sidelined? Where will these migrants be housed? What legal protections apply? And most importantly — who benefits?
Because the Caribbean has seen this pattern before: external powers redefining regional priorities under the language of partnership, while small states absorb the political and social risks.

If this agreement stands unchallenged, it will not remain an isolated experiment. It will become a template. And the question will no longer be whether the Caribbean participates in U.S. migration enforcement — but how deeply it is willing to be embedded in it.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

U.S.–Cuba Talks Held in Havana Amid Rising Tensions and Energy Crisis

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Havana, Cuba – Senior officials from the United States and Cuba convened in Havana on Thursday for high-level discussions, as the island faces a deepening energy crisis and strained bilateral relations.

The U.S. delegation was led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, following a formal request by the United States for engagement with Cuban authorities. The Cuban government confirmed that the meeting was approved by the Revolutionary Directorate and included talks with counterparts from the Ministry of the Interior.

In an official statement, Cuban authorities emphasized that the country “does not constitute a threat to the national security of the United States” and rejected its continued designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Cuban officials reiterated that the nation does not harbor, support, or finance terrorist activities, and denied the presence of foreign military or intelligence bases on its territory.

The meeting marks a rare instance of direct engagement between the two countries’ security leadership, particularly given Cuba’s longstanding accusations against the CIA for actions undermining its government since the Cold War era.
Sources familiar with the discussions confirmed the CIA Director’s participation. The talks come amid heightened tensions and follow recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who described Cuba as a “failed country” seeking assistance during its ongoing economic crisis.

“Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk,” President Trump stated earlier this week.
The outcome of the meeting and its implications for future U.S.–Cuba relations remain unclear.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

Guyana Welcomes Dominican Republic President Abinader for Key Bilateral Talks

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𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

Georgetown, Guyana – May 14, 2026 – Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips warmly received President Luis Abinader Corona of the Dominican Republic at Cheddi Jagan International Airport last evening, marking the start of a pivotal two-day visit aimed at deepening bilateral ties.

President Abinader will hold high-level discussions with President Dr. Irfaan Ali and senior government officials, building on prior agreements in energy, agriculture, and trade. The agenda seeks to expand cooperation, with expectations of new accords to drive mutual growth between the two nations.

This visit underscores the Dominican leader’s frequent engagement with Guyana, reflecting sustained diplomatic momentum. While past trips have paved the way for Dominican firms in sectors like power management and cocoa production, observers note promising developments in energy infrastructure—such as ongoing refinery talks—yet await details on major contract finalizations.

What tangible projects, from oil refining to public sector partnerships, might emerge this time? Stay tuned as we track outcomes and amplify calls for transparency in these growing ties.

Follow for updates on Guyana-Dominican relations.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

CARICOM at a Crossroads: Trinidad and Tobago’s Unprecedented Break

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Staff – Writer

An unprecedented fracture has emerged at the heart of Caribbean integration.
In a move without parallel in CARICOM’s 52-year history, Trinidad and Tobago has declared it will not recognise Dr. Carla Barnett as Secretary-General beyond the end of her current term in August 2026—flatly rejecting what regional leaders insist is a valid reappointment.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s position is not merely dissent; it is outright derecognition. That distinction matters. CARICOM has weathered disagreements before—over trade, free movement, and foreign policy—but never has a member state openly refused to acknowledge the authority of the Community’s chief administrative officer.

This is not a procedural quibble. It is an institutional rupture.
At the center of the dispute are allegations that strike at the credibility of the organisation’s governance: claims that the Secretary-General influenced or authored an official communiqué defending her own reappointment, and that Trinidad and Tobago’s representation was deliberately excluded from a decisive retreat via informal communication.

Whether proven or not, the mere plausibility of such claims has already inflicted reputational damage on the Community’s decision-making processes.
Equally troubling is the response—or lack thereof—from CARICOM leadership. Silence, deflection, and an apparent unwillingness to revisit the February decision have only deepened the perception of opacity. In regional governance, process is legitimacy. Once that is compromised, authority becomes contestable.

Persad-Bissessar’s stance goes further still. By signaling indifference to potential expulsion and openly pivoting toward alternative trade alliances in the Middle East, Africa, India, and South America, Trinidad and Tobago is testing the practical value of CARICOM membership itself. That is a dangerous precedent for a bloc already struggling with implementation deficits and uneven commitment among its members.
So, is this the beginning of the end for CARICOM?
Not necessarily—but it may well be the beginning of its most serious credibility crisis.

Regional integration has always depended less on treaties and more on political will and mutual trust. What is now unfolding suggests a breakdown in both. If one of CARICOM’s most economically significant members can reject a core institutional authority without consequence, the Community risks drifting from a rules-based arrangement into a loose, voluntary association vulnerable to fragmentation.

The real question is no longer about Dr. Barnett’s tenure. It is whether CARICOM’s governance architecture is robust enough to withstand open defiance—or whether it will buckle under the weight of its own unresolved contradictions.

If this moment is not met with transparency, accountability, and institutional reform, it will not be remembered as an isolated dispute. It will be seen as the point at which the Caribbean Community began to quietly unravel.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—

US-BACKED VENEZUELA TRANSITION TALKS EXCLUDED MACHADO AS POWER QUIETLY SHIFTED TO RODRÍGUEZ

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BY: Hem Kumar 

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

In the months leading up to the dramatic January 3 United States military operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, quiet diplomatic manoeuvres were already underway—far from public scrutiny.


Qatar, acting as a discreet intermediary between Washington and Caracas, hosted discussions on what a post-Maduro Venezuela might look like. However, in a striking revelation, those talks reportedly excluded any role for one of the country’s most internationally visible opposition figures, Maria Corina Machado.
According to a Qatari source familiar with the negotiations, neither US nor Venezuelan representatives raised Machado as a viable participant in any transitional government framework. This omission is particularly significant given Machado’s longstanding alignment with US policy positions and her open advocacy for foreign intervention against the Maduro administration.


Despite her international profile and subsequent Nobel Peace Prize recognition, the Trump administration appeared unconvinced of her domestic political viability. President Donald Trump himself publicly questioned her level of support within Venezuela, stating bluntly that she lacked the necessary backing to lead a national transition.


That position reportedly remained unchanged—even after Machado made a symbolic visit to the White House, presenting Trump with her Nobel medal in what many observers interpreted as a strategic gesture aimed at consolidating US support.
Her adviser, David Smolansky, has maintained a vastly different narrative, asserting that Machado commands overwhelming national support. Yet, the decisions emerging from Washington suggest otherwise.


Instead, in a move that has raised serious questions about the true objectives of the transition process, the United States facilitated the rise of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to the presidency. Rodríguez, a key Maduro ally, had been directly involved in backchannel communications with US officials during the Qatar-mediated talks.
Her prior engagements with Qatari leadership, including multiple visits to Doha and meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, positioned her as a central figure in the evolving diplomatic architecture.


Qatar’s role in this geopolitical recalibration has been both strategic and carefully managed. Initially engaged during the Biden administration to broker prisoner exchanges and secure the release of detained Americans, Doha expanded its involvement to include broader political negotiations.
Notably, the Qatari government was not informed in advance of the January 3 raid that resulted in Maduro’s capture—highlighting the limits of its intermediary role despite months of engagement.


Further underscoring the complexity of the arrangement, a temporary financial mechanism was established at Washington’s request, allowing Venezuelan oil revenues to be deposited into a Qatari bank account. That account has since been closed, raising additional questions about transparency and the ultimate disposition of those funds.
Meanwhile, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, remain detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, facing drug and firearms charges. Both have pleaded not guilty, and the case has proceeded at a sluggish pace, with US authorities only recently permitting the Venezuelan government to finance their legal defence after weeks of delay.


The unfolding developments point to a transition shaped less by democratic legitimacy and more by strategic convenience. The sidelining of Machado—despite her international standing—combined with the elevation of a Maduro insider, suggests that Washington’s priorities may lie more in stability and control than in genuine political reform.


For Venezuela, the question remains: is this truly a transition, or simply a recalibration of power under new management?

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮,𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—