The Geopolitics of Hegemony: Rubio, CARICOM, and the Fragile "Zone of Peace"

By: Wayne Forbes /GTV Editor

February 24th, 2026

The Geopolitics of Hegemony: Rubio, CARICOM, and the Fragile "Zone of Peace"

The confirmation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s attendance at the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Saint Kitts and Nevis (February 2026) marks a pivotal moment for Caribbean diplomacy. While the official agenda focuses on "shared priorities" like regional security and energy, the visit highlights a deepening friction between the Caribbean's aspirational status as a "Zone of Peace" and the rigid, often punitive, U.S. foreign policy toward the region’s largest island, Cuba.

The Collision of "Zone of Peace" and U.S. Militarization

Since the 1979 OAS resolution and subsequent CELAC declarations, the Caribbean has sought to maintain a "Zone of Peace." This doctrine is rooted in non-intervention, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the absence of foreign military escalations. However, Rubio’s presence coincides with a period of heightened U.S. naval activity in the Caribbean—often justified as anti-narcotics or anti-terrorism efforts directed at Venezuela—which regional leaders like Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley have previously criticized as "menacing."

Rubio, a long-standing hawk on Latin American affairs, represents a brand of U.S. diplomacy that views the Caribbean through the lens of Great Power competition. His focus on "regional security" often translates into pressure on CARICOM nations to align with Washington’s security architecture, potentially compromising the "Zone of Peace" by drawing the region into broader geopolitical standoffs.

The Cuba Paradox: Rubio’s Embargo vs. Caribbean Reality

The most glaring tension in this meeting is the U.S. embargo on Cuba. Marco Rubio has been one of the most vocal architects of "maximum pressure" on Havana, frequently labeling Cuban medical missions—which are vital to the healthcare systems of many CARICOM members—as "human trafficking" or "forced labor."

For the Cuban population, the embargo remains a daily humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by Cuba’s previous designation on the State Sponsor of Terrorism list (a designation CARICOM officially celebrated the removal of in January 2025). Rubio’s attendance signals that while the U.S. may offer "economic growth" and "energy security" to CARICOM, it does so while maintaining a policy of economic strangulation against Cuba—a policy that every CARICOM nation has historically voted against at the United Nations.

Critically Discussing the "CARICOM Silence"

The prompt raises the issue of "CARICOM silence," which is a complex diplomatic reality. CARICOM is rarely truly silent; the bloc consistently issues statements calling for the end of the U.S. embargo. However, there is a perceived strategic silence in face-to-face engagements with high-level U.S. officials.

1. Economic Vulnerability: CARICOM nations are caught in a dependency trap. With the U.S. being the primary source of tourism, remittances, and security funding, many leaders choose to separate their multilateral rejection of the embargo from their bilateral cooperation with Washington.

2. Pragmatic Engagement: During Rubio’s 2025-2026 engagements, leaders like Jamaica’s Andrew Holness have had to walk a tightrope—defending their use of Cuban doctors while simultaneously seeking U.S. help for the security crisis in Haiti.

3. The Price of Dissent: The fear is that vocal, public confrontation over Cuba during a visit from a Secretary of State known for his "with us or against us" stance could lead to "de-risking" by U.S. banks or the loss of trade preferences.

Conclusion

Secretary Rubio’s visit to Saint Kitts is a test of CARICOM's unity. While the official communiqué will likely speak of "stability and prosperity," the underlying reality is a region struggling to protect its "Zone of Peace" from being swallowed by a new Cold War in the Americas. CARICOM’s "silence" is not a lack of opinion, but a survival tactic in an era where the United States continues to use the Cuban embargo as a tool of regional discipline. The question remains: can the Caribbean truly be a "Zone of Peace" while its neighbor is under a sixty-year siege supported by the guest of honor?