CARICOM Free Movement Expansion
Nationals from four Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states—Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines—will soon enjoy full freedom of movement within the bloc. Effective October 1, 2025, citizens of these countries will be able to enter, leave, re-enter, reside, work, and remain indefinitely in the receiving states without requiring work or residency permits.
A press release from the CARICOM Secretariat explained that nationals will also be entitled to emergency and primary healthcare services, as well as access to public primary and secondary education in host states. Governments of the four member states have been meeting to ensure the necessary measures are in place for a smooth rollout of the full free movement initiative.
Brazil: Bolsonaro Sentenced for Coup Attempt
Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison after the country’s Supreme Court convicted him of attempting a coup to remain in power following his 2022 election defeat.
While not the first former president in Brazil to be convicted, Bolsonaro is the first to face charges linked to a coup attempt—a stark reminder in a country that has experienced at least 15 coups or coup attempts since 1889.
The 70-year-old far-right leader, who has been under house arrest since August 4, continues to deny the allegations, calling the trial “political persecution.” His legal team is expected to appeal before the Supreme Court’s full 11-member panel. Given his ongoing health struggles, it remains unclear if he will serve prison time.
CARICOM States on U.S. Drug Transit List
Four CARICOM countries—The Bahamas, Belize, Haiti, and Jamaica—have been identified by U.S. President Donald Trump as major drug transit or illicit drug-producing nations for the 2026 fiscal year.
The determination, submitted to the U.S. Congress, also includes countries such as Afghanistan, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. However, the document clarifies that inclusion on the list is not necessarily a reflection of the respective governments’ counter-narcotics efforts or their cooperation with Washington.
