The government of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a forceful condemnation of the United States’ reinstatement of Cuba on its controversial list of nations accused of sponsoring terrorism, a move first enacted by former President Donald Trump in 2017. The rebuke, highlighted by Antigua News Room on Saturday, underscores deepening regional criticism of U.S. policy toward Havana and celebrates the decades-long “family-like” partnership between the Caribbean neighbors.
A Controversial Designation
The U.S. terrorism list, widely criticized by international observers and regional allies as politically motivated, has long been a flashpoint in U.S.-Cuba relations. Trump reinstated Cuba hours after his 2017 inauguration, reversing a 2015 Obama-era delisting that aimed to thaw diplomatic ties. Antigua’s Senate President, Alincia Williams Grant, reiterated the nation’s opposition to the designation during a recent meeting with Cuban Ambassador Sergio Martínez, slamming it as part of a broader “illegitimate” U.S. strategy to isolate Cuba through its six-decade economic blockade.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne, a vocal advocate for Caribbean unity, has framed Antigua’s relationship with Cuba as familial rather than merely diplomatic. “We do not speak of friendly relations with Cuba—we speak of family,” Browne stated, condemning the embargo as “a moral failure” that stifles Cuba’s development.
Decades of Cooperation
The nations’ bond, solidified through decades of collaboration, spans healthcare, education, infrastructure, and disaster resilience. Cuban medical professionals have staffed Antigua’s Mount St. John’s Medical Centre and the Hanna Thomas Hospital on Barbuda since 2000, earning public praise. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba’s Henry Reeves International Medical Brigade deployed to the archipelago, bolstering local efforts against the virus.
Antigua has also benefited from Cuban educational initiatives, with scholarships enabling dozens of students to study medicine at Cuban universities. In 2017, Havana provided critical aid after Hurricane Irma devastated Barbuda, and a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalized bilateral cooperation in disaster response and environmental preservation.
Regional Solidarity Against U.S. Policy
The condemnation aligns Antigua with a growing chorus of Caribbean and Latin American nations demanding an end to the U.S. embargo. Critics argue the policy harms ordinary Cubans while failing to achieve its political objectives. The Antigua Newsroom emphasized that Cuba’s contributions—from healthcare to hurricane recovery—stand in stark contrast to its portrayal by U.S. officials.
As debates over U.S.-Cuba relations intensify, Antigua’s stance reflects broader regional frustrations with Washington’s unilateral measures. “The blockade is not just a policy—it is a barrier to human progress,” Browne asserted, urging global solidarity to dismantle it.
