U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that the State Department will review its travel advisories for Jamaica and other countries to ensure they accurately reflect the situation on the ground.
During a visit to the Caribbean, Rubio heard concerns from Jamaican officials regarding the current travel warning for their country, which heavily relies on tourism. The warning advises Americans to “reconsider” traveling to Jamaica due to high crime rates.
While agreeing to reassess the advisory, Rubio defended the Trump administration’s stance against a Cuban government program that sends medical professionals, including doctors, to countries like Jamaica in need of such services.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness pointed out that his country has benefited significantly from the program, which the Trump administration has criticized, arguing that it violates international labor standards and constitutes human trafficking in some cases.
Rubio’s trip will take him from Jamaica to Guyana and Suriname as the administration shifts more focus to the Western Hemisphere. Rubio is particularly interested in reducing Caribbean nations’ reliance on Venezuelan oil and addressing illegal immigration.
President Donald Trump recently announced new sanctions targeting Venezuelan oil exports and has threatened to impose tariffs on goods from countries that purchase oil from Venezuela.
Regarding the travel advisory for Jamaica, Rubio did not commit to easing it but indicated that revisions might be considered based on the progress made by the Jamaican government in reducing crime.
“We’ve pledged to reevaluate the travel advisories to ensure they accurately reflect the current situation, including the improvements in crime statistics,” Rubio said, acknowledging Jamaica’s significant progress in reducing the murder rate and other crime figures.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness expressed gratitude for Rubio’s commitment, stating, “We are dedicated to working together to ensure that travel advisories reflect the current situation and encourage tourism to Jamaica.” He added, “I’m confident that the discussions today will lead to meaningful results.”
Holness also strongly defended the Cuban doctor program, emphasizing that Jamaica ensures the doctors and nurses sent by Cuba are protected under Jamaican labor laws.
“Let’s be clear, the Cuban doctors in Jamaica have been incredibly helpful,” he said, noting that Jamaica faces a shortage of local healthcare workers due to migration. “We make sure they are treated according to our labor laws and receive the same benefits as any other worker,” Holness explained. “Any negative portrayal of the program by others does not apply to Jamaica. We ensure our program aligns with all international laws and standards to which we are a party.”
U.S. officials have argued that the Cuban medical programs resemble organized human trafficking because the workers are not paid directly. Latin American leaders have criticized the U.S. stance, warning that any sanctions could deprive their people of vital medical care.
Before Rubio’s trip, Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump’s special envoy for Latin America, suggested that if the leaders Rubio meets focus on the Cuban doctor program, it would be a waste of time. However, Rubio seemed to acknowledge that some countries, including Jamaica, might be adhering to international labor standards.
Rubio remarked, “In many places, the program operates like forced labor. But some countries have better labor standards, and Jamaica might be one of those. And that’s fine.”
He continued, “Each country runs the program differently, and because of our strong relationship with Jamaica, we’ll engage with them on this issue, discuss it further, and gain a clearer understanding. Perhaps the way it’s handled in Jamaica is different from other places.”
Another key focus for Rubio will be the situation in Haiti, where a multinational peacekeeping force has been stationed for months, attempting to prevent gangs from gaining control of the country. On Tuesday, Rubio had a conversation with the president of Kenya, which is leading the peacekeeping mission, although the State Department’s account of the call did not mention Haiti.
Rubio has extended exemptions to a broader U.S. foreign aid freeze, allowing continued funding for the security force in Haiti, but it remains uncertain how long these exemptions will remain in place.