At a moment of widespread concern about U.S. policy in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Caribbean this week provides an opportunity to develop an affirmative agenda with a region vital to U.S. national interests. The Caribbean—sometimes referred to as the United States’ “third border”—is inextricably linked to the U.S. Robust and respectful engagement could deepen counter-narcotics cooperation, counter Chinese influence, open a much-needed dialogue on Haiti, and bolster U.S. energy security.
While policymakers often disregard the Caribbean as little more than a sun-soaked getaway for tourists, shared security concerns make cooperation essential. The Caribbean is a major hub for drug trafficking due to its proximity to key shipping routes. The United Nations has warned that rising cocaine seizures in the region have been accompanied by a surge in homicides, largely driven by intensifying competition among transnational criminal gangs. Since 2009, U.S. leaders have backed the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), which, by late 2024, had provided over $942 million in aid. Now, sweeping cuts threaten this lifeline. The Trump administration and Congress should sustain investment to curb violence and illegal arms flows.
When it comes to security, there is no more serious situation in the Caribbean than the crisis in Haiti. Caribbean leaders have played a critical role in Haiti, and Rubio should listen to his colleagues from the region. During his visit to the Dominican Republic last month, Rubio stated that U.S. assistance to Haiti in support of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission would continue amid President Trump’s foreign aid freeze.
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