‘NOT THE FULL PICTURE’

Former Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Curtis Ward says the key reason for Marco Rubio’s visit to Jamaica this week has not been revealed, asserting that the trip is to make demands on CARICOM states.

The United States (US) Department of State confirmed on Monday that Rubio, the secretary of state, will travel to Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname from March 26-27 to advance President Donald Trump’s US foreign policy priorities in the Caribbean.

The State Department said that, while in Jamaica, Rubio would hold bilateral engagements with heads of state from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti.

“Secretary Rubio’s engagements with our valued Caribbean partners will promote regional cooperation to end illegal immigration, counter transnational organised crime, strengthen regional actions to address Haiti’s political and security challenges, and strengthen the United States’ economic partnerships with Caribbean countries,” a statement from the State Department said.

However, Ward believes the statement reflects only half the agenda.

“It is not the full picture. This is just the cover for broader discussions,” he said on Monday of the impending visit.

He said the unreported issue Rubio is expected to raise, not just with Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness but with other heads of government, is the region’s relationships with Cuba and Venezuela.

Rubio, earlier this month, announced an expansion of the US-Cuba visa restriction policy to include foreign government officials and their families whose countries are involved in Cuba’s overseas medical mission programme.

Rubio, who is Cuban American, described Cuba’s overseas medical missions as an oppressive programme that enriches the Cuban government through the “exploitation and forced labour of Cuban workers”.

Several regional governments have rejected this claim.

“We must bear in mind that the Cuba issue is very personal for Secretary Rubio. Not only is it the policy of the Trump administration to put pressure on the current regime but Marco Rubio himself has very strong opposition to the Cuban regime for very long time.

“So, there is no compromise as far as he is concerned on this although it may appear as if it is being negotiated. I don’t believe there is going to be any negotiations on dealing with Cuba on two fronts – medical mission and designation of state terrorism of Cuba by the Trump administration,” said Ward, whose responsibility at the UN focused on security council affairs.

He said there will likely be repercussions for continued relations with Cuba on these bases.

Ward said that, as for other CARICOM member states, trouble lies ahead for relationships with Venezuela. He noted that already the US has announced the possibility of a 25 per cent tariff on countries that deal with Venezuela.

He said countries in the eastern Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, may be on the US’s radar for benefiting from Venezuela’s oil or having existing partnerships.

“All these things will be on the agenda,” declared Ward, who added that regional heads must continue to insist that the US continues support for Haiti. He believes the US is seeking to scale back its support for the violence-torn country.

He said the issues must be viewed in the context of the purported transactional nature of the US’ foreign policy.

Ward said what has been observed so far is that, although the US puts forward what appears to be a transactional foreign policy, it is more an exercise of “imperial hubris” where the US makes demands and coerces compliance.

“It is not a voluntary two-way street as we would hope it to be. So it’s not so much negotiations as how will you respond to my demands. The US is always making demands and you will have to demonstrate that you will comply with those demands in order for you to reap any benefit whatsoever, but the benefits are discretionary,” said Ward.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com