U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Jamaica, Guyana and Suriname on March 26 and 27. During his trip, Rubio met with heads of state to discuss issues including stemming the flow of irregular migration and drug trafficking in the region, Reuters reported. He also met with the leader of Haiti’s transitional presidential council during his stop in Jamaica. What major developments emerged from Rubio’s trip to the Caribbean? What is the significance of Rubio making two trips to Latin America and the Caribbean within his first few months in office? To what extent does Rubio’s “Americas First” focus on the Western Hemisphere reflect a broader U.S. foreign policy strategy under the administration of President Donald Trump?
Rebecca Bill Chavez, president and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue: “Secretary Rubio’s visit to the Caribbean will be a success if it leads to real follow-through and a clear strategy for sustained, positive engagement based on shared interests and mutual respect. Words must be backed by funding and concrete action. With widespread concern about the future of U.S. foreign assistance, Rubio’s commitment to development aid in areas like skills training and workforce development was important. His emphasis on nearshoring, pursuing new trade opportunities and facilitating private investment shows there is real potential for the United States to offer an alternative to China’s growing influence in the Caribbean. However, as past experience shows, empty promises only serve to push the region closer to Beijing. His commitment to continued security cooperation, including through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, hit the mark. The region faces serious challenges from transnational organized crime, and Rubio rightly highlighted the need to strengthen intelligence cooperation and stop the flow of illegal arms—75 percent of which come from the United States, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. His reaffirmation of U.S. support for the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti is another important step, especially at a time when Haiti is at a breaking point and too often overlooked on the global stage. Rubio signaled that he’s ready to listen—to align U.S. efforts with local priorities and help facilitate assistance and investment that meet the region’s real needs. But good intentions aren’t enough. Now comes the hard part: making it all real. The real test is whether this visit leads to a long-term, coherent U.S. strategy in the Caribbean—one based on an affirmative agenda that delivers results and deepens trust over time.”
Riyad Insanally, former ambassador of Guyana to the United States: “It was good that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s second visit to Latin America and the Caribbean, so soon into his tenure, was to Jamaica (where he met with the leaders of Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the leader of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council), and to Guyana and Suriname (where me met with those countries’ heads of state). In addition to talking about shared interests around security and prosperity, Rubio clearly had a message to deliver about U.S. domestic policies that influence U.S. foreign policy priorities. Not all of those policies are comforting for Caricom leaders. They include immigration and deportations, pressure on Cuba and Venezuela, countering China’s influence in the region and, more positively, the emerging roles of Guyana and Suriname in supporting energy security. For Guyana, at least, the visit was something of a triumph, as Secretary Rubio publicly declared, ‘It will be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil … and it would not end well for them.’ This is the strongest statement to date by a senior U.S. government official in support of Guyana and was a diplomatic win for President Irfaan Ali. Taken with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation, covering information sharing, synthetic drug detection, transnational organized crime and military-to-military cooperation, Guyana’s security stance was strengthened, with the United States as its preeminent strategic partner. Whether it is ‘Americas First’ or ‘America First,’ the region as a whole still has a lot of serious strategizing to do to convince the United States of the convergence of interests that underpin the security, stability and prosperity of its ‘third border.’”
Steven Debipersad, lecturer at Anton de Kom University of Suriname: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent three-nation Caribbean tour signals Washington’s determination to reassert influence in a region increasingly courted by global competitors. The visits to Jamaica, Guyana and Suriname reveal a strategy to address immediate crises, economic competition and regional security concerns—with a particular focus on countering Chinese expansion and protecting Guyana from Venezuelan aggression. In Jamaica, discussions centered on stabilizing Haiti’s political crisis through coordination with transitional leaders. However, the most strategically significant stops occurred in Guyana and Suriname. Guyana’s offshore oil boom has propelled it to become the world’s fastest-growing economy, while Suriname stands poised for a similar transformation. Rubio’s high-profile engagement offered these nations U.S. investment alternatives to Chinese infrastructure projects and security cooperation to deter Venezuelan threats to Guyana’s oil-rich Essequibo region. The visit highlights Washington’s growing concern about China’s economic penetration and Russia’s military partnerships in America’s traditional sphere of influence. While China has focused on port construction and infrastructure loans, and Russia has expanded military cooperation with Venezuela, the United States is countering with security guarantees and private sector investment offers. For Caribbean leaders, this attention presents both opportunities and dilemmas. U.S. security assurances and market access come with implicit expectations to limit Chinese cooperation—potentially restricting their development options. The Trump administration’s transactional approach raises questions about long-term commitment. As geopolitical tensions rise, Rubio’s tour demonstrates Washington’s recognition that the Caribbean has become a key battleground for influence. Lasting success will require moving beyond security partnerships to offer comprehensive alternatives that address the region’s development needs while respecting its strategic autonomy.”
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