Your weekly look at what’s moving across the Caribbean — beyond Guyana’s borders.
CARICOM RALLIES BEHIND CUBA AS US BLOCKADE BITES
CARICOM governments are stepping up support for Cuba as the US economic blockade continues to squeeze the island. CARICOM Chairman Dr. Terrance Drew confirmed at the bloc’s 50th Regular Meeting that humanitarian aid — including solar panels, baby food, rice, flour, basic medical supplies, and water tanks — is being coordinated through the regional secretariat in Guyana. St. Kitts and Nevis has pledged $500,000, with the first $100,000 already deposited. Drew framed it simply: “Cuba has never turned its back on the Caribbean. We will not turn our backs on Cuba.” The first shipment dates are expected to be confirmed this week.
Source: Caribbean Life
RUSSIAN TANKER BREAKS CUBA OIL BLOCKADE — US LETS IT PASS
In a development that surprised few geopolitically but stunned many legally, a Russian tanker carrying approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil arrived at the port of Matanzas, Cuba, without US interception. The White House said the decision was not a “formal change in sanction policy” and that future shipments would be evaluated case by case. Analysts noted that the tanker carried no Russian naval escort, meaning the US could have acted — and chose not to. Cuba’s power grid has been under severe strain, with fuel shortages causing prolonged blackouts. One Havana resident called the tanker’s arrival welcome news but said more shipments are urgently needed.
Source: Democracy Now
CARIBBEAN PIVOTING AWAY FROM US TRADE DEPENDENCE — NOT BY CHOICE
Sir Ronald Sanders, writing in Kaieteur News, made the case that the Caribbean’s drift away from US trade dependence is not a strategic choice — it is a response to being pushed. For generations, Caribbean nations have prioritised American markets. That relationship is now under strain from tariffs, shifting US policy, and general unpredictability. Sanders argues the region must accelerate diversification of trade partnerships — to Europe, to China, to within CARICOM itself — not as ideology but as self-preservation. The article is worth reading in full. The title alone does the work.
Source: Kaieteur News
FORMER CARICOM SECRETARY GENERAL RODERICK RAINFORD DIES AT 85
Roderick Rainford, who served as Secretary General of the Caribbean Community, passed away on Saturday. He was 85. Rainford was a significant figure in the evolution of CARICOM’s institutional architecture. The region’s tributes are expected throughout the week.
Source: Demerara Waves
TRINIDAD: US REMOVES MILITARY RADAR FROM TOBAGO
The United States has removed a military radar installation from Tobago, a move the Trinidadian opposition has sharply criticised as a security setback. The government has not yet offered a full explanation for the removal. The timing — amid elevated regional tensions following the US military action in Venezuela — has added a pointed dimension to the story.
Source: Caribbean Life
JAMAICA CARNIVAL KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK
Jamaica Carnival — known locally as Bacchanal Jamaica — opens on April 8 and runs through April 14, culminating in the Kingston road march. Costumed bands, soca, dancehall, street fetes, and the full range of organised chaos. For first-time Caribbean carnival goers, Jamaica is frequently recommended as a more accessible entry point than Trinidad. Hotel rooms along the north coast are reportedly at full capacity heading into the holiday week.
Source: Caribbean Mag
GUYANA AT CARIFTA: FIVE MEDALS, THREE GOLD, ONE RECORD
Guyana’s team in Grenada had a dominant opening day at the 53rd CARIFTA Games. The Mixed 4x400m relay quartet broke the CARIFTA record. Tianna Springer won the Girls U20 400m. Malachi Austin took gold in the Boys U20 400m. Javon Roberts and Jermaine Shepherd added bronze and silver respectively in the 1500m events. With five medals on Day One alone — three gold — Guyana has already surpassed its total from last year’s championships. The squad will continue competing through the weekend.
Source: Kaieteur News
SURINAME’S ENERGY AMBITIONS LOOKING INWARD TOO
At the close of Caribbean Energy Week 2026, Suriname’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melvin Bouva called on the region to convert offshore oil wealth into broad-based growth — human capital, local participation, inclusive prosperity. Suriname’s GranMorgu project represents one of the region’s most significant new offshore developments, with TotalEnergies and APA Corporation as key operators. Bouva’s pitch: don’t just extract, build. The region is listening, even if it’s also quietly calculating who benefits.
Source: HGPTV Regional News
The Caribbean Brief publishes weekly. The region is always moving. We try to keep up.