KINGSTON, Jamaica — Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has expressed confidence in the strength of the relationship between Jamaica and the United States (US) following recent comments made by a US Congressman who warned that Jamaica could face consequences for comments Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness made expressing support for Cuba.

“We took note of the post that was made in social media but we are 100 per cent confident that the broad acceptance and recognition of the prime minister’s statement was that it was balanced, it was visionary, it was realistic, it expressed the complexity of the circumstances of the relationship of Cuba with the region, while recognising our grounded and fundamental beliefs in democracy and freedom and open market as we practice and live here every day, and that the [US] administration broadly recognised it as such,” Johnson Smith said.

She was responding to a reporter’s question at Tuesday’s post-Cabinet media briefing at Jamaica House.

She pointed to a recent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of his delegation which she said was entirely cordial and productive.

“You would see that from comments made by Secretary Rubio himself and therefore there’s really no concern regarding any perhaps misplaced perspective that might be taken by an individual as opposed to a broader recognition of the strong partnership that continues to exist between the US and Jamaica,” Johnson Smith noted.

On February 24, Holness urged Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states to address the humanitarian crisis in Cuba “with clarity and courage” and suggested that wise, skillful and prudent management is needed to resolve the deepening geopolitical conflict between Washington and Havana.

Holness, the immediate past chairman of the regional bloc, was delivering his address on the opening day of Caricom’s 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis.

The conference was held against the backdrop of rising concerns in the region over the crisis in Cuba, triggered by United States President Donald Trump’s oil blockade on the Spanish-speaking country.

Trump cut off key supplies of Venezuelan oil to Cuba after ousting Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and has threatened sanctions on states that sell oil to Havana.

Cuba, under a US trade embargo since 1962, has for years battled extended power cuts and shortages of fuel, medicine and food, even before the Caribbean country of 9.6 million people lost its main oil supplier last month.

In his address to Caricom heads, Holness pointed to the role that Cuba has played in supporting its Caribbean neighbours.

“Its doctors and teachers have served across our region. Its people are part of our shared history. But today, the Cuban people face severe economic hardship, energy shortages and growing humanitarian strain,” Holness said.

He declared that Jamaica is sensitive to the struggles of the Cuban people and pointed out that “humanitarian suffering serves no one”.

“Apart from our fraternal care and solidarity with the Cuban people, it must be clear that a prolonged crisis in Cuba will not remain confined to Cuba. 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,” Holness said.

“Let there be no doubt, Jamaica stands firmly for democracy, human rights, political accountability, and open market-based economies. We do not believe that long-term stability can exist where economic freedom is constrained and political participation is limited,” he added.

READ: Holness urges Caricom to address Cuba crisis ‘with clarity and courage’

By Wednesday, Holness was facing backlash for his speech. United States Congressman Carlos Giménez, who was born in Cuba, blasted Holness via X over his comments.

Addressing Holness in his capacity as the leader of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Giménez said, “I harshly condemn this and find it lamentable that the JLP would cover up for the moribund dictatorship in #Cuba, when the Castro regime repeatedly intervened in #Jamaica’s politics to exacerbate partisan tensions and undermine the JLP!”

He ended his post with the warning that, “Jamaica will face the consequences!”

READ: US congressman says Jamaica to face ‘consequences’ after PM’s Cuba statement