Caribbean leaders stand up to U.S. visa threats over Cuban Medical Aid.

The Caribbean stands united against U.S. pressure! Barbados, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago’s leaders strongly reject accusations of human trafficking tied to Cuban medical aid. Mia Mottley, Ralph Gonsalves, and Keith Rowley defend the vital role of Cuban doctors and nurses in saving lives.

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Mia Mottley, Barbados Prime Minister: “I will be the first to go to the line and to tell you that we could not get through the pandemic without the Cuban nurses and the Cuban doctor”.

I will also be the first to tell you that we paid them the same thing that we pay Bajans and that the notion as was pedal not just by this government in the US but the previous government that we were involved in human trafficking by engaging with the Cuban nurses was fully repudiated and rejected by us, Mottley says.

Now I don't believe that we have to shout across the seas but I am prepared like others in this region that if we cannot reach a sensible agreement on this matter then if the cost of it is the loss of my Visa to the US then so be it, She added.

Mottley: What the Cubans have been able to do for us far from approximating itself to human trafficking has been to save lives and Limbs and sight for many a Caribbean person…

Ralph Gonsalves, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, The hemodialysis which we do in St Vincent at the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Center with these 60 persons without the Cubans there I will not be able to offer that service so does anybody expect that I to go because I want to keep a Visa that I would let 60 persons from the poor and working people to die it will never happen.

Keith Rowley, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister: Out of the blue now we are being called human traffickers because we hire technical people who we pay top dollar equal to local rate.

I just came back from California and if I never in my life I will ensure that the sovereignty of Trinidad and Tobago is known to its people and respected by all, Rowley added.