Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas Heads of Government

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:  

Today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the heads of government from the Eastern Caribbean and the Bahamas to underscore the urgent need for enhanced regional cooperation to combat drug and firearms trafficking and illegal migration – key drivers of violence and instability.  He encouraged Caribbean partners to strengthen intelligence-sharing, security cooperation, and border security through initiatives like the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. 

Secretary Rubio urged our partners to make responsible, transparent decisions when selecting vendors and contractors for critical infrastructure projects, ensuring they are not vulnerable to privacy and security risks and exploitation by malign actors like the Chinese Communist Party.  He also reaffirmed our commitment to holding accountable Cuban regime officials, foreign government officials, and those involved in facilitating the regime’s forced labor scheme, including Cuba’s medical missions. 

With hurricane season less than one month away, Secretary Rubio announced the reactivation of two U.S.-administered programs to strengthen early warning systems and provide rapid, life-saving assistance across the Caribbean. 

Participants in the meeting included Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre of Saint Lucia, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, and Prime Minister Terrance Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis.