Rubio’s visit to Guyana, Caribbean: Illegal immigration, transnational crime among issues on agenda

United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will be embarking on a three-nation tour of the Caribbean this week that will include a visit to Guyana, will include conversations ranging from transnational organised crime to strengthening economic partnerships with the region.
This is according to the itinerary released by the State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, who explained that Rubio’s visit, first to Jamaica, then Guyana and Suriname between March 26 and March 27, will be for the advancement of US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy priorities in the Caribbean.
“While in Jamaica, the Secretary also will 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,” Bruce added.
According to the spokesperson, Rubio’s visit will also address countering “transnational organised crime, strengthen regional actions to address Haiti’s political and security challenges, and strengthen the United States’ economic partnerships with Caribbean countries.”

According to a Miami Herald report last week, on Wednesday Rubio will travel to Jamaica, where he will be hosted by Prime Minister Andrew Holness for talks. Based on regional reports, Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, and other regional leaders will also be in Kingston to meet with the Secretary of State.
Guyana Times understands that a CARICOM meeting was held virtually on Friday last among regional leaders, to set the agenda for those talks with the US official. Rubio will then travel to Guyana and Suriname, where he will meet with their respective Presidents, Dr Irfaan Ali and Chandrikapersad Santokhi.
25 per cent tariff
The meeting will also come days after the US Government initiated a crackdown on countries purchasing oil from Venezuela. As a matter of fact, the US Government had announced that a 25 per cent tariff would be implemented on all such countries. This message was reinforced by the US Secretary of State himself in a tweet on Monday.
According to Rubio, there will be no tolerance from the US for “any third-countries or their oil companies producing, extracting, or exporting oil and oil-related products with the Maduro regime in Venezuela.”
“This is a regime that has consistently stolen elections, pillaged from its people, and colluded with our enemies. Any country that allows its companies to produce, extract, or export from Venezuela will be subject to new tariffs, and any company will be subject to sanctions,” he further outlined.
In Georgetown, the US Secretary of State and President Ali are likely to have discussions on a number of issues including the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy. Additionally, policy issues such as the recent US restrictions on Cuban medical professionals could also be discussed.
Last month, Rubio announced a decision to place visa restrictions on officials believed to be involved in the export of Cuban workers – a move that has been strongly criticised by Caribbean leaders.
President Ali recently told reporters that Guyana has already informed the US authorities that all foreign workers here, including Cuban medical professionals, are employed under strict local labour laws as well as in compliance with international labour laws.
Moreover, Guyana’s upcoming General and Regional Elections, which is slated for later this year, is also expected to be on the agenda for talks with Secretary Rubio. The US had played a crucial role in ensuring that democracy prevailed in Guyana during the 2020 elections fiasco, and had imposed visa restrictions on Guyanese officials, who had attempted to undermine the results.
Only back in January, President Ali had a telephone discussion with the US Secretary of State following his appointment, during which they discussed collaboration on energy, security, democracy and regional prosperity.
According to a brief statement from the Department of State, the two officials had addressed the crisis of illegal migration, and agreed to jointly address this regional imperative and challenge.
The Secretary also affirmed the US’s steadfast support of Guyana’s territorial integrity in the face of Nicolás Maduro and his cronies’ bellicose actions.
Rubio’s visit to Guyana would mark the third by a US Secretary of State in less than five years under the current People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government. Former secretaries of state, Mike Pompeo and Antony Blinken, previously visited Guyana, during which they engaged in discussions with the Ali Administration as well as other local stakeholders.