Grenada’s Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall has declared that he and other members of the Grenadian government are prepared to give up their U.S. visas in solidarity with the Cuban medical missions, as Washington intensifies pressure on Havana’s international healthcare initiative.
Speaking on the state-owned Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) during the weekly Government Hour on Wednesday, Cornwall defended the presence of Cuban healthcare professionals in Grenada and underscored their invaluable contribution to the island’s healthcare system.
“I always believe you have to put the people above one’s political self,” Cornwall said. “If it means we have to give up our right to a U.S. visa to ensure Grenada stands behind Cuba—one of the countries that has supported us through thick and thin—so be it.”
A graduate of a Cuban university, Cornwall stated that he feels a moral obligation to back Cuba, especially amid recent moves by the U.S. government to expand visa restrictions related to the Cuban labor export program. The policy targets individuals, including foreign government officials, who are deemed responsible for or involved in Cuba’s overseas medical missions.
“This expanded policy applies to current or former Cuban government officials, and other individuals, including foreign government officials, who are believed to be responsible for, or involved in, the Cuban labor export programme,” the U.S. State Department said in an announcement.
Cornwall warned that terminating Grenada’s Cuban medical partnership would severely impact healthcare on the island.
“The Cuban doctors and nurses who have served in Grenada over the years have provided a valuable service,” he said. “We complain daily about the state of our hospitals, yet we have Grenadians who have graduated from St. George’s University who are not staying to work in the health system. If we can rely on Cuban professionals to fill the gap until we strengthen our system, then I say so be it.”
His remarks echo sentiments expressed last week by Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Andall, also a Cuban graduate, who stated during the 2025 national budget debate that Grenada has a legal, moral, and ethical duty to stand by Cuba. Andall cautioned against treating the relationship with Havana as merely transactional, emphasizing the deep historical ties between the two nations.
Cornwall’s stance aligns with other Caribbean leaders, including Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley and St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who have also voiced their willingness to give up U.S. visas in defense of Cuba. Both leaders have criticized Washington’s position on Cuba’s medical brigade, highlighting the crucial role it plays in Caribbean healthcare.
As the U.S. tightens its stance on Cuba’s overseas medical missions, Grenada’s government appears unwavering in its support, signaling potential diplomatic friction with Washington.
