MIAMI, United States. – Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, stated before leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that he will not support “a dictatorship in Cuba or anywhere else” and defended that Cuban citizens should have the right to “free and fair elections,” just like the people of the region.
The statements were made during the 50th Ordinary Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, held on February 24 in Saint Kitts and Nevis, as reported regional media who spread the fragment of his speech.
According to these reports, Persad-Bissessar questioned the coherence of governments and parties that compete in democratic processes in their countries while, he said, there are no competitive elections in Cuba.
“Behind me and us, every leader in this room was elected by a free and fair democratic election. Everyone, everyone in our countries. And then I ask: why do some current governments and political parties believe that they, their parties and their followers should have the right to contest democratic elections to elect them as leaders, when Cuban citizens do not have the right to a free and fair election?”, expressed the prime minister.
🚨MUST WATCH —> Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago @PM_Kamla gives masterclass to CARICOM leaders on the need for freedom in #Cuba!
The United States Congress appreciates your solidarity & support! 🇺🇸🤝🇹🇹 pic.twitter.com/VYIfyVOe4d
— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) February 27, 2026
Persad-Bissessar pointed out that he empathizes “with the good people of Cuba,” but distanced himself from the current political system on the Island. “There is a regime, a dictatorial one, and none of us want that in our country, none of us. Otherwise, we would not be here today,” he stated.
In his speech, he maintained that it is contradictory to defend democracy for the region and accept that other peoples live under authoritarian systems. “We were elected by free and fair elections and therefore we cannot advocate for others to live under communism and dictatorship, but we want to live here, in our CARICOM region, under democracy and capitalism. That is an oxymoron, it is a contradiction,” he declared.
The prime minister stated that the region must find mechanisms to channel humanitarian aid to the Cuban population, but without legitimizing the Government in Havana. “We have to find a mechanism for the humanitarian efforts of the people of Cuba, but at the same time we cannot and I will not support a dictatorship in Cuba or anywhere else. We will not support it. What we do is support regular, free and fair democratic elections in a multi-party system,” he said.
Likewise, he listed principles that, in his opinion, should characterize democratic systems: “All citizens must have equality before the law. The rule of law must exist. Majority rule and minority rights must exist. We must have separation of powers and checks and balances. We must have accountability and transparency. We must have freedom of expression and association.”
Finally, he reaffirmed his country’s position in economic and political terms: “And for us in Trinidad and Tobago, there must be capitalism. We will not support dictatorships.”
After the fragment of the speech was broadcast, the Cuban-American congressman Carlos Gimenez shared it on social network X and wrote: “A MUST SEE: The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago gives a master lesson to CARICOM leaders on the need for freedom in Cuba. The United States Congress appreciates your solidarity and support!”
