Rubio’s visit to Caribbean countries is an opportunity to advance a positive US agenda | Opinion

At a moment of widespread concern about U.S. policy in the Western Hemisphere, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Caribbean this week provides an opportunity to develop an affirmative agenda with a region vital to U.S. national interests.

The Caribbean — sometimes referred to as the “third border” of the United States — is inextricably linked to the U.S. Robust and respectful engagement could deepen counter-narcotics cooperation, counter Chinese influence, open a much-needed dialogue on Haiti and bolster U.S. energy security.

While policymakers often disregard the Caribbean as little more than a sun-soaked getaway for tourists, our shared security concerns with the region make cooperation essential.

The Caribbean is a major hub for drug trafficking due to its proximity to key shipping routes. The United Nations has warned that rising cocaine seizures in the region have been accompanied by a surge in homicides, largely driven by intensifying competition among transnational criminal gangs.

Since 2009, U.S. leaders have backed the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), which by late 2024, provided over $942 million in aid. Now, sweeping cuts from the Trump Administration threaten this lifeline. The Trump administration and Congress should sustain investment to curb violence and illegal arms flows.

When it comes to security, there is no more serious situation in the Caribbean than the crisis in Haiti. Caribbean leaders have played a critical leadership role in Haiti, and Rubio should listen to his colleagues from the region.

During his visit to the Dominican Republic last month, Rubio stated that U.S. assistance to Haiti in support of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission would continue amid President Trump’s foreign aid freeze.

While promises of exceptions have been made, U.S. partners are discovering that these pledges have not been realized. This week’s visit will provide an important opportunity for clear communication on U.S. support to resolve the crisis in Haiti.

For the U.S., China’s deepening engagement in the Caribbean also underscores the need for sustained U.S. partnerships that offer viable alternatives. In addition to an increased diplomatic presence, China has built major infrastructure projects across the region through the Belt and Road Initiative and are players in sectors ranging from construction to energy to telecommunications.

In response, the U.S. should increase investment in infrastructure and digital connectivity while expanding trade and supporting regional integration, all of which will reduce the region’s dependence on China.

While the U. S. has a diplomatic presence in many of the major Caribbean nations, it is noticeably absent in the eastern Caribbean, including in St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which are among the diminishing number of nations in the world which recognize Taiwan over China.

Rubio should continue the process initiated during the Biden administration — and modeled after a successful effort in the Pacific Island nations — to establish at least two new embassies in the eastern Caribbean.

The Caribbean also holds immense energy potential that is vital to both regional and U.S. security. Rubio’s reported stops in Guyana and Suriname highlight the region’s growing significance, as both countries have made massive offshore oil discoveries. Guyana is now a leading oil producer, with Suriname expected to follow soon as major projects move towards production.

Rubio will also meet with the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, a longstanding U.S. partner and key LNG supplier. At a time of increased global instability, deepening partnerships with Caribbean nations offer a strategic opportunity to support a resilient, sustainable energy future.

This year, 2025, is an opportune year for the U.S. to strengthen engagement with the Caribbean, with the Summit of the Americas — the tenth gathering of heads of state from the Western Hemisphere — set for December in the Dominican Republic. The Trump administration should seize this moment to make this the “Year of the Caribbean” — not through foreign aid cuts or punitive measures, but by advancing a robust, positive agenda that enhances U.S. security.

Eric Jacobstein is a senior fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue. He served as deputy assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs during the Biden administration. Rebecca Bill Chavez is president and CEO of the Inter-American Dialogue. She served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs during the Obama administration.

This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 11:58 AM.