By Tiana cole | HGP Nightly News |
Bilateral High-Stakes……….
Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali is set to travel to Miami, Florida, next week for a high-level meeting with US President Donald Trump. The announcement, made on the sidelines of the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in St. Kitts, signals a significant deepening of ties between Georgetown and Washington amid a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape in the Caribbean.
Joining President Ali for the talks will be Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, as the Trump administration seeks to solidify a “security-first” partnership with its key energy and strategic allies in the southern Caribbean.
Strengthening the “Security-First” Partnership
The Miami summit follows a bilateral briefing between President Ali and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in St. Kitts on Wednesday. According to President Ali, the upcoming talks with President Trump will focus on three critical pillars:
- Regional Security & Narcotrafficking: The US has dramatically increased its military footprint in the Caribbean Sea this year, launching aggressive operations against transnational criminal organizations. Guyana and Trinidad have both emerged as primary partners in this effort, which the White House describes as a “restoration of American security” in the Western Hemisphere.
- Situation in Venezuela: Following the US military operation in January that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro, the region is navigating a volatile transition. President Ali noted that Miami talks will address the role of the new interim Venezuelan authorities, led by Delcy Rodríguez, in regional stability.
- Energy Cooperation: With Guyana’s offshore production targets reaching new heights, the US is looking to secure resilient energy supply chains that bypass traditional adversaries.
The “Cuban Doctor” Debate
A point of potential friction in Miami will be the Trump administration’s recent pressure on Caribbean nations to reconsider their reliance on Cuban medical brigades.
- The US Stance: Secretary Rubio and President Trump have categorized the program as “forced labor,” recently issuing Executive Order 14380 which threatens sanctions and visa restrictions on countries facilitating the program.
- The Guyana Response: President Ali has defended the use of Cuban doctors and nurses as a “legal and ethical” necessity for national health systems. He clarified that as long as workers are paid in accordance with Guyanese labor laws and international regulations, the engagement meets all legal criteria.
- Compromise in Sight? Some regional neighbors, including The Bahamas and Antigua, have already begun “tweaking” their payment systems—paying doctors directly rather than the Cuban state—to appease Washington and avoid looming tariffs.
Regional Impacts of the “Monroe Doctrine”
The Miami meeting is being viewed by analysts as a 21st-century application of the Monroe Doctrine, with the US exerting primacy in what it considers its “immediate neighborhood.”
| Topic | Current US/Guyana Status |
| Military | Increased SOUTHCOM presence; Joint maritime patrols. |
| Trade | US facilitating supply-chain diversification for Guyana’s oil sector. |
| Cuba Policy | US seeking an end to medical brigades; Guyana seeking de-escalation. |
| Migration | Ongoing talks on regional border control and deportation frameworks. |
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve been engaging on strengthening our bilateral relationship… yes, I have been invited to the meeting on security matters that is convened by President Trump,” President Ali confirmed.
