Guyana, Trinidad reserve position on CARICOM’s Cuba statement
May 28 2026
Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago have distanced themselves from a strongly worded CARICOM statement condemning the growing economic and financial pressure being placed on Cuba.
In a statement issued by the Caribbean Community’s Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), the regional body confirmed that both countries formally reserved their positions on the declaration, even as the remaining CARICOM member states delivered sharp criticism of the measures targeting the Cuban government.
COFCOR said it was “profoundly concerned” about the escalating economic, commercial and financial restrictions imposed on Cuba, including actions affecting the island’s fuel supplies. The Council warned that the continued measures are deepening hardship for the Cuban population and creating wider consequences across the Caribbean.
According to the regional body, the restrictions have contributed to what it described as a “grave humanitarian crisis,” impacting not only Cuban citizens but also Caribbean nationals living and studying in Cuba.
The statement also raised alarm over recent remarks suggesting possible military action against Cuba, cautioning that any aggression could threaten regional stability and undermine the Caribbean’s long-standing designation as a Zone of Peace.
In one of the strongest sections of the declaration, COFCOR maintained that Cuba “poses no threat to any nation” and argued that the sanctions and unilateral measures violate international law, human rights principles and established norms governing relations between sovereign states.
The Council also reiterated support for the annual United Nations resolutions calling for an end to the decades-old United States embargo against Cuba.
The statement comes as tensions between Washington and Havana continue to intensify. In recent weeks, the United States has reportedly tightened sanctions on Cuba, imposed new restrictions affecting the island’s oil supply and pursued legal action against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro.
Despite Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago withholding support for the declaration, the majority of CARICOM states maintained that continued pressure on Cuba risks worsening humanitarian conditions and destabilising the wider Caribbean region.
