Carib Scope

分类： politics

  • Acting Venezuelan president ends “successful” visit to Grenada

    Acting Venezuelan president ends “successful” visit to Grenada

    On 9 April, Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodríguez wrapped up a short official visit to the Caribbean nation of Grenada, a trip timed to align with the 49th year of formal diplomatic relations between the two states. This visit marked Rodríguez’s first international official engagement since she assumed the role of acting president in early January 2026, following a United States military incursion into Venezuela that removed and detained long-time sitting president Nicolas Maduro.

    Rodríguez, who previously served as Venezuela’s executive vice president, was sworn into office on 5 January, just two days after US forces took Maduro into custody. Since taking power, she has publicly committed to guiding Venezuela toward domestic stability while signaling a potential shift in the country’s long-strained relations with Washington. She has already complied with US pressure by cutting off oil shipments to Cuba and ordering Cuban professionals based in Caracas to leave the country.

    According to an official statement released by the Venezuelan government during the visit, Rodríguez’s itinerary included a formal courtesy meeting with Grenada’s Governor-General Dame Cécile Ellen Fleurette La Grenade, followed by in-depth working talks with Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and his full cabinet. Officials noted that a joint communique would be published following the conclusion of the cabinet-level discussions, though no document has been released to date.

    The trip comes against a backdrop of growing geopolitical tension across the Caribbean, where US President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on regional governments over a range of issues, most notably their long-standing diplomatic and economic ties to Cuba. For Grenada specifically, the visit follows a recent high-stakes standoff with Washington over a US request to deploy a military radar system at Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport. Grenada has so far refused to approve the request, citing unresolved technical questions, public safety risks, and concerns that the installation would violate regional sovereignty principles. The rejection came after thousands of Grenadian residents held peaceful public demonstrations urging their government to turn down the US proposal.

    Speaking to reporters after the closed working talks, Prime Minister Mitchell emphasized that he was honored that Rodríguez chose Grenada as the destination for her first international trip since taking office. “Our discussions this afternoon focus exclusively on strengthening the bilateral cooperation between Grenada and Venezuela,” Mitchell stated. He added that talks covered a broad cross-section of mutually beneficial areas, including energy, agriculture, education, trade, tourism, transport, and logistics infrastructure. Moving forward, Mitchell said both nations will establish dedicated working groups from each side to advance concrete action on the agreed priorities, noting that “we are quite happy with the outcome of this working meeting, and we look forward to actioning and implementing those areas for the benefit of the Venezuelan and the people of Grenada.” Mitchell also clarified that media questions following the meeting would be limited strictly to topics related to bilateral cooperation, with no off-agenda issues permitted.

    In her brief public remarks, Rodríguez echoed Mitchell’s positive assessment of the visit, saying she was deeply honored to be received in Grenada as her first international stop. “The history of Grenada is a true example to the peoples of the Caribbean and Latin America that, overcoming all difficulties, persevered in their self-determination and sovereignty,” she said. Rodríguez added that the talks allowed the two sides to update a bilateral cooperation roadmap first established last year during Maduro’s presidency, with new commitments to expand people-to-people and sectoral partnerships.

    Key initiatives agreed to during the visit include expanded educational exchange programs: the arrangement will allow Grenadian students to pursue studies in Venezuela, while enabling reciprocal teacher exchanges between the two nations. The sides also discussed progress on developing new maritime and air transport links, which Rodríguez said will support expanded bilateral trade and create new trade corridors that can include other Caribbean nations. Talks also covered shared experiences in communal food production systems, as well as ongoing negotiations over the two countries’ shared maritime borders.

    In a closing statement, the Venezuelan government reiterated that the visit successfully advanced core goals: reinforcing long-standing diplomatic ties, identifying new areas of shared economic interest, and nurturing bilateral partnerships designed to drive inclusive development for both nations.

  • Government Welcomes Scholarship Opportunities from the People’s Republic of China for Antiguan and Barbudan Students

    Government Welcomes Scholarship Opportunities from the People’s Republic of China for Antiguan and Barbudan Students

    The People’s Republic of China Embassy in Antigua and Barbuda has officially announced that two fully-funded Chinese government scholarship programs are currently accepting applications from eligible citizens of the Caribbean nation, opening new academic pathways for advanced study in China.

    One of the initiatives is the Chinese Government Transportation Scholarship hosted by Dalian Maritime University, a leading higher education institution specializing in maritime studies and logistics research. This program allocates two spots for Antiguan and Barbudan students to enroll in two-year master’s degree programs at the university. The comprehensive award covers all core costs associated with the study period, including full tuition fees, mandatory application charges, on-campus housing, a regular monthly living stipend, and full-coverage medical insurance for the entire duration of the degree. Notably, international travel to and from China is not included in the scholarship package.

    A second opportunity comes via the MOFCOM (Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China) Scholarship Programmes, which also supports advanced academic study for students from developing countries. While specific coverage details for MOFCOM awards were not outlined in the embassy announcement, both programs follow an aligned application process that requires candidates to submit all required materials digitally through official university portals or designated Chinese scholarship administration platforms.

    The application timeline differs slightly between the two programs: candidates targeting the Dalian Maritime University Transportation Scholarship must submit all completed materials by April 20, 2026, while applicants for the MOFCOM scholarships have until May 15, 2026, to finalize their submissions.

    As part of the formal bilateral application process, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda is tasked with compiling a list of endorsed candidates and submitting an official diplomatic note to the Chinese Embassy. To accommodate this internal national review and endorsement process, the authorities have urged all interested applicants to submit their materials well in advance of the posted deadlines, avoiding last-minute delays that could disqualify their candidacies.

    Individuals seeking additional clarification on eligibility criteria, required documentation, or step-by-step application procedures are directed to reach out to the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Office of Antigua and Barbuda via phone at 562-3860 for personalized assistance.

  • Sobers slams Ralph’s seasickness claim

    Sobers slams Ralph’s seasickness claim

    A public political dispute has erupted over claims surrounding Trinidad and Tobago Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers’ absence from a February Caricom heads of government retreat held in Nevis, with Sobers directly refuting accusations from St Vincent and the Grenadines Opposition Leader Dr Ralph Gonsalves that he skipped the event due to seasickness.

    Speaking on his Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) radio broadcast this week, Gonsalves laid out his version of events, claiming Trinidad and Tobago had received an official invitation to the closed Caricom heads caucus in Nevis. According to Gonsalves, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was unable to attend the retreat and tapped Sobers to attend in her place, only for Sobers to turn down the opportunity citing a history of seasickness.

    Sobers forcefully pushed back against these claims during a post-Cabinet press briefing held at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, dismissing Gonsalves’ narrative as a “big bold-faced lie” and laying out a detailed timeline of what actually occurred in the lead-up to the retreat. The minister acknowledged he made an offhand joke about seasickness the evening before the event, but clarified he was fully prepared and ready to travel to Nevis on the morning of the retreat when he received last-minute notification that only sitting heads of government were permitted to attend the closed session.

    “I informed the Caricom Chair that as Trinidad and Tobago’s Head of Delegation, I wanted to attend to advance our country’s national interests,” Sobers told reporters. “That notification came through at approximately 8:56 a.m. on Thursday, February 24, and I immediately reached out to the Caricom Secretariat to confirm the instruction was authentic, which it was. I then asked Trinidad and Tobago’s Caricom Director to follow up directly with the Chef de Cabinet to double-check the ruling, and that confirmation was again confirmed: only heads of government would be allowed entry.”

    Sobers further noted that the final published attendee list for the boat transfers to Nevis excluded not just Trinidad and Tobago, but also Antigua and Barbuda and The Bahamas—all three nations being represented by ministerial delegates rather than sitting heads at the event. “If Gonsalves’ story is true, does that mean every minister who wasn’t invited just happened to have seasickness? This is a clear falsehood,” he added.

    The Trinidad and Tobago minister went on to accuse Gonsalves of manufacturing the controversy to distract from a far more serious procedural breach at the regional summit: the controversial reappointment of Dr Carla Barnett as Caricom Secretary-General, which he says was conducted in secret without the participation or input of Trinidad and Tobago and other delegations, in direct violation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Sobers emphasized that the reappointment was never listed as an official agenda item for the retreat, the plenary sessions, the official joint communiqué, or the closing press conference, calling the failure to follow established procedure the real core issue at hand.

    Local news outlet The Express later obtained a copy of a WhatsApp message circulated to Caricom Foreign Ministers in February that appears to back up Sobers’ account. The message, sent by event organizers, reads: “Good morning Foreign Ministers. Chairman PM Drew has indicated that today will be a Heads only retreat. He apologises for any inconvenience. Ministers should therefore remain for the Community Council Meeting to complete its work, including those agenda items from the Heads’ agenda which Community Council is to consider and provide recommendations to Heads for adoption.”

    Despite this evidence, the domestic opposition in Trinidad and Tobago has seized on the controversy to call for Sobers’ resignation. Former Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne, speaking at an opposition press briefing, challenged Sobers’ version of events, claiming “None were excluded, none were denied, none were dis-invited, and all were welcome.” Browne also accused the ruling People’s National Movement government of holding an anti-Caricom agenda aimed at weakening and dismantling the regional bloc.

    Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles also weighed in, drawing on her past experience as a diplomatic ambassador to question Sobers’ account. “If there’s one thing you cannot do is leave any of those meetings, especially if the Prime Minister was expected to be in attendance, you can’t leave, you must attend,” she said, doubling down on calls for accountability from the current minister.

  • Caricom rift deepens over Barnett reappointment

    Caricom rift deepens over Barnett reappointment

    A deep procedural rift has erupted within the Caribbean Community (Caricom) after Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers publicly rejected a response from Caricom chairman and St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew, dismissing it as inadequate to address the country’s concerns over the contentious reappointment of Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett.

    Sobers made the announcement during a post-Cabinet media briefing held Tuesday at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, laying out the full timeline of the dispute that has thrown a spotlight on long-simmering frustrations over decision-making transparency within the regional bloc.

    The controversy dates back to a February Caricom heads of government retreat held in Nevis. At that closed-door meeting, Drew announced in a March 25, 2026 statement that a “required majority” of member state leaders had approved a second five-year term for Barnett, set to begin in August 2026 when her current tenure expires. But from the start, Trinidad and Tobago challenged the legitimacy of the process: the country was not present at the retreat, and the reappointment was never listed as a formal agenda item for the gathering, a direct violation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs Caricom operations.

    In response to the announcement, Sobers sent an official letter to Drew demanding a formal explanation, followed by additional correspondence to Barnett herself and Janice Miller, Chef de Cabinet in the Secretary-General’s office, seeking clarification on the irregular process. Two weeks after sending the initial query, Sobers confirmed Tuesday that Drew had finally sent a response to the Office of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago — but the reply failed to resolve the core issues raised by the country.

    “Respectfully, no. It did not address the concerns we raised,” Sobers told reporters when asked if the response was satisfactory. “Although we are grateful to receive the correspondence, it took longer than expected, and we have now prepared a new formal letter that was dispatched today. There are extremely relevant and important issues that require a full response that we have not yet received.”

    Pressed by reporters from the *Trinidad and Tobago Express* on whether Trinidad and Tobago is pushing to have the entire reappointment process declared invalid and restarted from scratch, Sobers said the country’s immediate priority remains securing clear answers to outstanding questions. “We have certain questions that remain unanswered. As soon as we get those responses, we can move forward to determine what our next steps will be,” he said, adding that the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas clearly outlines procedural requirements for the reappointment that were not followed in this case.

    Sobers also moved quickly to dismiss widespread speculation that the dispute signals a push by Trinidad and Tobago to exit the regional bloc. “Fear not, and perish that thought,” he said, emphasizing that the country has no issue with Caricom as an institution — its criticism is targeted at deep flaws in the bloc’s day-to-day operations, effectiveness and decision-making efficiency.

    The current controversy, he argued, is just the most visible example of a systemic problem. As the largest contributor to Caricom’s annual budget, covering 22% of total expenditures, Trinidad and Tobago has long been denied basic procedural courtesy in key decisions, he said. He also backed recent comments from opposition Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has called for full transparency and announced a national re-evaluation of Trinidad and Tobago’s financial contribution to the bloc.

    “I think that is a fair retort to the discourteous behaviour that has been meted out to Trinidad and Tobago,” Sobers said. “The situation unravelled the way it did: we only got a last-minute telephone call about an issue that was never an agenda item, and it was pushed through at a retreat we didn’t even attend. Something has to happen, something has to change. It cannot be business as usual.”

    Sobers stressed that Trinidad and Tobago has no personal stake in the race for the Secretary-General position, saying the country has no candidate of its own and Cabinet has not yet taken a formal position on whether it would support Barnett’s reappointment. The core of the dispute, he repeated, is the underhanded, clandestine process used to push through the decision.

    He also noted that Barnett’s current term does not end until August 2026, giving the bloc ample time to consider the reappointment at two already scheduled upcoming leadership meetings: a virtual heads of government gathering set for April, and an in-person meeting in St Lucia in July. There was no justification for rushing the decision through at an unscheduled retreat that Trinidad and Tobago could not attend, he argued.

    When asked about recent comments from Guyanese President Dr Irfaan Ali stating that the reappointment process was bona fide, Sobers said Ali was entitled to his perspective as the leader of a sovereign nation, just as Trinidad and Tobago is entitled to its own position as an independent member state. “In terms of procedure, consensus has not been reached,” Sobers said. “What consensus essentially means, as it is articulated by the treaty, is that all countries should agree.”

    He closed with a sharp rebuke of the handling of the process, saying: “We have a problem when people don’t obey the revised treaty. We have a problem when people move surreptitiously, clandestinely, when they are disobedient, when they treat us with scant courtesy and disrespect; and then they leak things, allegedly, to members of the Opposition to cast suspicions on the operations of the Government.”

  • LISTEN: PM Browne announces major plans for Perry Bay

    LISTEN: PM Browne announces major plans for Perry Bay

    As Antigua and Barbuda gears up for a highly anticipated general election later this month, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced a major infrastructure overhaul for the Perry Bay district designed to free up underutilized land for much-needed residential development. Browne laid out the proposal during a political rally held in the St John’s Rural West constituency on Thursday evening, outlining that the centerpiece of the project is the relocation of the area’s existing primary roadway. The move is intended to reconfigure available land to create additional space zoned for new housing construction, addressing rising demand for residential property across the twin-island nation. This infrastructure adjustment forms one pillar of a wider government strategy aimed at expanding public access to buildable land and affordable housing, a growing priority as population and economic growth push demand for new residential units higher. Browne emphasized that the road reconfiguration will not only unlock more developable space but also enable more organized, long-term community planning for the Perry Bay region. The Perry Bay housing initiative was revealed alongside a slate of other campaign development priorities, with the prime minister framing infrastructure investment and expanded land access as core planks of his administration’s governing agenda. While the plan has been formally announced, Browne did not share a concrete implementation timeline, nor did he disclose detailed architectural or layout plans for the relocated roadway during the rally address. Officials expect the completed expansion will boost the government’s ongoing work to increase overall housing stock across the country and support sustained, inclusive community growth in Perry Bay and surrounding areas. With housing and economic development emerging as central talking points on the pre-election campaign trail, the proposal signals the administration’s focus on addressing key livelihood concerns ahead of the upcoming vote.

  • LISTEN: Michael Joseph says he is ready from day one to transform Rural West, promises more frequent town halls

    LISTEN: Michael Joseph says he is ready from day one to transform Rural West, promises more frequent town halls

    With election day just around the corner, Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) parliamentary candidate Michael Joseph has positioned himself as a community-rooted contender ready to hit the ground running for St. John’s Rural West if voters deliver him a victory on April 30.

    Speaking to a gathering of enthusiastic supporters at a campaign rally held in the constituency Thursday night, Joseph emphasized that his deep connection to the area gives him unique insight into the daily struggles and unmet needs of local residents. As a lifelong member of the St. John’s Rural West community, he argued, he does not need to learn about the constituency’s challenges from outsiders—he encounters them firsthand.

    “I walk these streets and I understand the challenges that we face in St. John’s Rural West. I understand what we need in Rural West,” Joseph told attendees. “Because I am you, and you are me.”

    Far from waiting to take office to begin delivering for constituents, Joseph revealed he has already spent two years working directly within the community to advance priorities that matter most to local people. His on-the-ground efforts have centered on driving targeted development and expanding support for residents across the constituency, with a particular focus on the St. John’s Hill area. He stressed that his commitment to serving the community will not fade after votes are counted, a common critique of elected candidates who step back from grassroots engagement post-election.

    If elected on April 30, Joseph said, his entire tenure will be centered on the evolving daily needs of the people he represents. “Come April 30th, when you make your decision, I will get up every day and the first thing I will look and say, ‘What does the people of Rural West need today?’ And I will get up, I will go, and I’ll fight for it,” he outlined.

    A core pillar of Joseph’s governance plan is upending the traditional disconnect between representatives and constituents by institutionalizing regular, open town hall meetings across the constituency. These recurring public gatherings are designed to give every resident a direct voice in local decision-making, letting constituents set the policy and advocacy agenda for their representative to advance in parliament.

    “I intend to make sure that we have regular town hall meetings in this constituency because you need to be a part of what happens,” Joseph explained. “You need to tell me, as your representative, what needs to be done and the decisions that we need to fight for.”

    While Joseph openly acknowledged that transforming St. John’s Rural West will require heavy lifting and sustained effort to address longstanding challenges, he made clear he has both the preparation and willingness to take on the responsibility from his first day in office. All residents of the St. John’s Rural West constituency will head to polling stations on April 30 to cast their ballots for their next parliamentary representative.

  • Leaked letter outlines timeline and details of CARICOM SG reappointment vote

    Leaked letter outlines timeline and details of CARICOM SG reappointment vote

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A public controversy over the reappointment of Dr. Carla Barnett to a second term as Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has intensified in recent days, with Trinidad and Tobago voicing formal dissatisfaction over the outcome and calling into question the legitimacy of the process that led to the vote. Now, a leaked internal correspondence from CARICOM Chair Dr. Terrance Drew has pulled back the curtain on the timeline of deliberations, as regional leaders prepare for an emergency summit to resolve the growing rift.

    Trinidad and Tobago officials have made their opposition to Barnett’s reappointment clear, anchoring their discontent in long-simmering unresolved grievances. The core complaint centers on the CARICOM Secretariat’s failure to respond to previous official communications regarding the 2010s arrest and deportation of a Trinidad and Tobago citizen by another member state, a matter Port-of-Spain says has been left unaddressed throughout Barnett’s first term.

    In the leaked letter addressed to the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Drew, who also serves as Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, pushed back against claims of an irregular or opaque process, laying out a step-by-step timeline of how the reappointment vote moved forward. Drew confirmed that the item was added to the CARICOM Heads of Government conference agenda weeks in advance, with formal notifications sent to every member state’s leadership well before the gathering kicked off in late February.

    According to the timeline outlined in the letter, the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister chose to depart St. Kitts and Nevis on the evening of February 25 – the first day of the scheduled conference – one full day before the leaders-only retreat where the Secretary-General vote was scheduled to take place on February 26. Drew emphasized that regional organizers made deliberate accommodations to ensure Trinidad and Tobago still had representation at the critical closed-door session. CARICOM Affairs Minister Sean Sobers was formally invited to step in and attend the retreat in the Prime Minister’s place, but the offer was ultimately rejected.

    The letter details that Sobers declined the invitation citing a specific, personal objection to the standard transit arranged for retreat attendees: a water taxi, the primary mode of transportation between the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis. The minister reportedly stated he declined to attend out of fear of experiencing seasickness during the crossing.

    With no representative from Trinidad and Tobago present, the Heads of Government moved forward with deliberations, ultimately approving Barnett’s reappointment in a vote held in full compliance with Article 24 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas – the foundational regional agreement that formally lays out the rules and procedures for selecting and reappointing the CARICOM Secretary-General. Drew added in the correspondence that multiple attempts were made to reach the Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister after the vote to share the outcome, but all outreach went unanswered.

    Drew is not the only regional leader to defend the outcome of the process. Guyana’s President Dr. Irfan Ali has publicly backed the reappointment, confirming in his own remarks that all procedural requirements laid out in regional governing documents were followed correctly at every stage of the decision.

    To address the ongoing standoff, CARICOM has called a special emergency Heads of Government meeting scheduled for the afternoon of April 10, when the controversial reappointment will be revisited for full discussion. Regional observers and leadership hold out hope that the face-to-face talks will produce a mutually acceptable resolution to the concerns raised by Trinidad and Tobago, mending the divide before it creates deeper friction within the 15-nation bloc.

  • Guáimaro: when the Cubans made the Constitution the reason for their sword

    Guáimaro: when the Cubans made the Constitution the reason for their sword

    On a dust-choked April day in 1869, in the plains of Cuba’s Camagüey region, a ragtag group of independence fighters defied all odds to write a new chapter of global history. Six months had passed since the first spark of the Cuban independence struggle ignited at La Demajagua, and the outlook was grim: the strategic city of Bayamo had already fallen back under Spanish colonial control, military momentum had stalled, and the fledgling independence movement fractured into three competing governing factions, flying two separate flags. The choice left to the revolutionaries was uncompromising: unify, or face certain death.

    Against a backdrop of ongoing armed conflict, deep ideological divisions, and missing comrades, the Mambí independence fighters achieved what many deemed impossible. Not only did they hammer out an agreement for a unified command structure, but they also drafted and formally adopted the first Constitution of the Republic of Cuba in Arms on that April 10. Clocking in at just 29 articles, this founding document was far more than a parchment signed amid the roar of gunfire. It was the birth certificate of a sovereign Cuban nation, enshrining core principles that still shape Cuban national identity today: a separation of governmental powers, a clear division between military and civilian authority, and the radical, foundational commitment to the abolition of chattel slavery.

    Like all human political projects, it was not perfect. But it was uniquely Cuba’s. The nation’s founding revolutionaries refused to wait for permission from the Spanish colonial metropolis to write their own laws and claim their right to self-determination. With this Magna Carta, Cuba carved out its place among the world’s 19th-century republican nations through its own collective effort, standing in open defiance of one of Europe’s oldest imperial powers. Out of that Guáimaro Constituent Assembly emerged the first legitimate national government of Cuba, with independence leader Carlos Manuel de Céspedes serving as president and Manuel de Quesada taking on the role of Commander-in-Chief. It also established a constitutional tradition that remains the beating heart of the Cuban Republic more than 150 years later.

    That same spirit of sovereign self-determination would go on to inspire Cuba’s national hero José Martí to establish another transformative institution on the same April date, 23 years later in 1892: the Cuban Revolutionary Party. As Martí himself wrote in the newspaper *Patria*, the party was the embodiment of the Cuban people, tasked with organizing the final push for independence that would secure full sovereignty and establish a democratic republic built “with all and for the good of all.” The ideological and organizational foundations laid by that party would later shape the first Communist Party of Cuba, and its modern iteration as the vanguard organization of the Cuban Revolution.

    Today, as foreign narratives from the Global North push the argument that a nation can enjoy freedom without full political and economic sovereignty, the legacy of the 1869 Guáimaro Constitutional Assembly offers a vital reminder. Cuba’s founding fathers never debated whether an independent sovereign state was a wise goal; they took it as a given that independence is never granted to those who beg for it—it is built through deliberate action, with laws to codify the people’s will and arms to defend that will against colonial aggression. That unshakable conviction, that faith in the legitimacy of the anti-colonial struggle, has run like a constant underground river through every subsequent Cuban constitution, from the 1940 national constitution to the current framework ratified by the Cuban people in 2019.

    So when algorithmic mercenaries and pro-annexation lobbyists peddle the bitter lie that Cuba should surrender its sovereignty for foreign favor, Cubans are called to remember the dust of Guáimaro. There, on the open plains of Camagüey, a small band of revolutionaries armed with nothing but machetes and a shared dream of freedom left the Cuban people the most powerful tool any free nation can hold: the moral and legal justification for their struggle, transformed from a cause into a binding constitution. This inheritance is not up for negotiation, not for sale to the highest bidder, nor to be surrendered lightly. It is a legacy to be defended, always.

  • Russia, One Hundred Percent in Solidarity with Cuba

    Russia, One Hundred Percent in Solidarity with Cuba

    On a Thursday afternoon in April 2026, a landmark diplomatic meeting between top Cuban and Russian officials took place at Havana’s Palace of the Revolution, reinforcing the long-standing strategic partnership between the two nations. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who also serves as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, hosted visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who traveled to Havana for the event in conjunction with a bilateral inter-ministerial dialogue between the two countries.

    Opening the cordial exchange, Ryabkov expressed that he felt deeply honored to receive an audience with the Cuban president, a sentiment that prompted a warm response from Díaz-Canel, who framed the Russian diplomat as a trusted friend to Cuba and highlighted decades of reciprocal solidarity between Havana and Moscow.

    In his opening remarks, Díaz-Canel first extended a warm greeting to Russian President Vladimir Putin and all Russian allies, before turning to address the most recent demonstration of Russian support for Cuba: a timely fuel shipment delivered to the island in recent days. The Cuban leader emphasized that the delivery carries far more than practical value, calling it a momentous symbolic gesture that sends a clear message that Cuba does not stand alone amid mounting international pressure.

    Díaz-Canel stressed that the aid comes at a particularly critical juncture for Cuba, noting that this shipment is the first and only fuel supply the country has received in four months, making it an indispensable lifeline for the island. Beyond its immediate practical impact, he framed the fuel delivery as a stand against what he termed coercive imperialist policies, praising Russia’s courage in refusing to bow to external pressure that aims to block trade with Cuba. He added that the shipment upholds a core principle both nations defend: Cuba’s inherent right to receive energy supplies, and other countries’ equal right to conduct legitimate energy trade with the island.

    The Cuban president requested Ryabkov convey his official gratitude to the Russian government and President Putin directly, reaffirming that all bilateral agreements reached during previous talks with Putin remain in full force. He referenced the recent 23rd session of the Cuba-Russia Intergovernmental Commission held in St. Petersburg, which was attended by Cuban Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, noting that both sides remain fully committed to advancing all joint bilateral projects.

    Looking ahead, Díaz-Canel underlined Cuba’s unwavering commitment to deepening political, diplomatic, and economic cooperation with Russia. He called for continued unity between the two nations, particularly at a time of widespread global instability and ongoing armed conflicts that have roiled international order.

    Responding to Díaz-Canel’s remarks, Ryabkov echoed the spirit of camaraderie, thanking the Cuban president for the opportunity to hold the high-level meeting. He noted that the gathering itself serves as a powerful signal to both Russia and the broader international community of the unique, close bond between Havana and Moscow. The Russian deputy foreign minister also expressed appreciation for the warm hospitality extended by Cuban authorities during his visit, including his earlier reception by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.

    Ryabkov reaffirmed that Moscow stands in full solidarity with Cuba, stating that the Russian side fully understands the severe challenges Cuba currently faces and remains unwavering in its support for the island. Also in attendance for the diplomatic meeting on the Cuban side was Gerardo Peñalver Portal, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, as the talks proceeded in an atmosphere defined by mutual respect and fraternal solidarity.

  • Government says no mining planned in Northern Mountain Range

    Government says no mining planned in Northern Mountain Range

    SANTIAGO — The Dominican Republic’s top energy and mining official has drawn a clear line in the sand over resource development in one of the country’s most ecologically significant regions, confirming that full commercial mining will never be authorized in the Northern Mountain Range. In a face-to-face gathering with local community leaders and religious clergy hosted in Santiago, Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos laid out the government’s official stance, clearing up widespread speculation about future extractive activity in the biodiverse highland area.

    Santos stressed that there is no existing government policy, signed exploitation contract, or even active pending application that would clear the way for large-scale mineral extraction in the region. Any current work being carried out in the Northern Mountain Range is restricted exclusively to preliminary scientific research, designed to map the area’s geological characteristics and assess its potential mineral resources, he explained.

    According to Santos, the exploration concessions currently held by operators do not grant any rights to commercial extraction. These permits only allow temporary access for technical work, including geological mapping, rock sampling, and other geoscientific surveys required to understand the region’s subsurface makeup.

    Any future proposal to expand activity beyond exploration to full extraction would face a rigorous multi-step approval process, Santos noted. This would require separate technical reviews, mandatory comprehensive environmental impact assessments, and a final sign-off from the Dominican president before any work could move forward. The minister also emphasized that the government remains committed to full transparency and ongoing collaborative dialogue with all communities that would be affected by any potential future changes to mining rules in the region.

    Santos also addressed calls from some stakeholders to revoke the existing exploration concessions, noting that unilateral revocation would open the Dominican government to costly international and domestic legal challenges, putting state assets and public finances at unnecessary risk.