Former Trinidad and Tobago foreign affairs minister Winston Dookeran appeared on the UN stage this week, calling on his country to maintain its longstanding support for ending the United States’ economic embargo against Cuba. Dookeran warned that Trinidad should not allow the geopolitical rivalry between Washington and Moscow to undermine its diplomatic principles.
The General Assembly was debating a resolution that seeks to lift the U.S. embargo, and the discussion quickly turned confrontational. U.S. representative Mike Waltz accused Cuba of corruption, repression, and economic mismanagement, presenting photographs of luxury watches, properties, and yachts owned by Cuban officials. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez rejected the accusations and objected to Waltz’s statements.
The exchange escalated, prompting a temporary suspension of proceedings. Waltz contested that the U.S. restrictions were a blockade, citing shipments of goods to Cuba that the U.S. claims are prohibited. Meanwhile, several countries and international groupings continued to back the embargo‑ending resolution.
Trinidad and Tobago did not deliver a statement during the session, and no vote had been taken. The resolution was expected to be considered the following day.
