Immediate past Caribbean Community (Caricom) Chairman Dr Andrew Holness’s reference to “nuanced diplomacy” could be interpreted to mean enlightened self-interest in the way the region approaches the crisis over Cuba and future geopolitical conflicts.

Under this notion, Dr Holness, who is also the Jamaican prime minister, deftly managed to tell the truth about the horrific humanitarian crisis in Cuba, an observer member of Caricom, without seeming to ruffle the feathers of the United States Administration.

Indeed, such was the apparent efficacy of the concept that, as the Caricom leaders began their 50th regular summit in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis, the US offered an — albeit small — olive branch in allowing restricted oil exports to a Cuba in deep turmoil on “commercial and humanitarian” grounds.

Not even the most hard-line Administration can deny that, as Dr Holness said, the dire humanitarian and economic situation in Cuba demanded urgent action, or that a prolonged crisis poses a direct threat to the stability of the entire
Caribbean.

“It will affect migration, security, and economic stability across the Caribbean Basin. It is, therefore, important that we carefully consider this matter and take collective action,” the former Caricom leader argued.

That is a position, we expect, that the Donald Trump Administration would find acceptable, particularly as it aligns with the president’s crackdown on immigration — a situation Cubans fleeing starvation, from 90 miles away, could seriously exacerbate.

Moreover, the US, which has been a long-standing friend, would have recognised the pressure the tourism-dependent region is already under from the contretemps with Venezuela, with its spillover effects on Caricom.

The US-Venezuela conflict had dragged in Trinidad and Tobago, leading to a decision by ousted President Nicolas Maduro to cut off “existing contract, agreement, or negotiation” with the twin-island nation, after accusing Port of Spain of being complicit in the US decision to seize a Venezuelan oil tanker.

Guyana, too, found it necessary to declare that the oil tanker seized by the US “was falsely flying the Guyana flag” and was not registered there.

In addition, the US knows that it had named three Caricom members — Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Haiti — among whose citizens have been “fully” restricted or have “limited” entry into the United States, with effect from January 1, 2026.

The US cited Antigua and Dominica as examples in which a foreign national from a country that is subject to US travel restrictions could purchase citizenship by investment and thus apply for US visas to evade the restrictions. It then added more Caribbean nations to a list of 75 countries, including Jamaica, to suffer a pause on immigrant visa issuance.

All that came at a time when the region was grappling with the catastrophic damage, widespread displacement, and loss of life caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and to a lesser extent the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas, and Bermuda.

It must have been salve to the conscience of the Caribbean leaders to hear Dr Holness highlight the shared history between the region and Cuba, notably the Spanish-speaking island’s significant contribution of doctors and teachers.

But, the Jamaican leader balanced that with a call on Cuba for democracy, human rights, political accountability, and an open market-based economy.

Now, that is “nuanced diplomacy”.