Rowley Joins Caribbean Leaders Opposing US Economic Embargo On Cuba
Former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has joined a group of former Caribbean heads of government in calling on countries around the world to resist United States pressure and support an end to the longstanding economic embargo against Cuba.
In an open letter dated October 24, 2026, the regional leaders urged nations to vote in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution scheduled for October 28, describing Washington’s economic restrictions as harmful to the Cuban people and contrary to international law.
The two-page document lists 12 former leaders, including Rowley, former Jamaican Prime Ministers P.J. Patterson and Bruce Golding, former Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell and former St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
The signatories argue that the latest US restrictions have placed additional pressure on Cuba’s economy, particularly through measures affecting the supply of petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel.
They accuse Washington of attempting to force the Cuban population into submission through economic hardship.
The letter also urges governments not to yield to what the signatories describe as American diplomatic pressure aimed at weakening support for the upcoming resolution.
The former leaders maintain that the embargo violates Cuba’s sovereignty and threatens regional and international peace.
Their position comes amid increasing diplomatic tensions between Washington and Havana.
The United States has defended its approach by highlighting human rights concerns in Cuba, including political repression and restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has urged countries to reject the resolution, arguing that it overlooks abuses committed by the Cuban government.
Cuba, meanwhile, maintains that American sanctions are contributing significantly to the island’s worsening economic and energy crisis.
The United Nations has repeatedly supported resolutions calling for an end to the embargo. In 2025, the resolution received 165 votes in favour, seven against and 12 abstentions.
However, the resolutions are not legally binding and cannot independently compel Washington to lift its restrictions.
Rowley’s inclusion among the signatories places the former Trinidad and Tobago leader among regional political figures publicly challenging US economic policy towards Cuba.
The letter represents the position of the former leaders and should not be interpreted as an official statement from the current Trinidad and Tobago Government.
With the latest UN vote approaching, the appeal adds another Caribbean voice to the longstanding international debate over sanctions, national sovereignty and the humanitarian situation in Cuba.