Belize PM calls for urgent talks to avert humanitarian crisis in Cuba

Prime Minister of Belize John Briceño on Monday called for immediate international talks to prevent what he warned could become a humanitarian crisis in Cuba, driven by severe shortages of petroleum products.

Briceño made the appeal while addressing a joint sitting of the National Assembly held in honour of a visit by Guyanese President Dr Irfaan Ali. He reiterated Belize’s long-standing position that the Caribbean should remain a zone of peace and emphasized his government’s commitment to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states.

“We view with serious concern recent events in our region which clearly undermined this principle. More concerning for us is the recently proclaimed executive order which is likely to have grave consequences for the people of Cuba. The government of Belize stands in full solidarity with the Cuban people,” Briceño said, warning that reduced oil supplies could trigger a “manufactured humanitarian disaster” on the island.

“We call for urgent good faith talks to avert a humanitarian crisis which is likely to emerge in the Republic of Cuba if there is ever decreasing deliveries of petroleum products. A manufactured humanitarian disaster is neither moral nor is it illegal,” he told legislators.

Oil supplies to Cuba have dwindled in recent weeks following the United States’ invasion of Venezuela and the detention of its leader, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife on drug trafficking and weapons-related charges.

“The government of Belize stands in full solidarity with the Cuban people,” Briceño added.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that her government will send humanitarian aid to Cuba this week, despite increasing pressure from Washington to cut off oil supplies to the island.

In his wide-ranging address to the Belizean Parliament, Guyanese President Irfaan Ali made no mention of the situation facing Cuba, despite Guyana having benefited for years from Cuba’s health brigade programme — an initiative Washington has equated to modern-day slavery and has urged Caribbean countries to discontinue.

Guyana has, in recent years, strengthened ties with the United States as it pushes back against Venezuela’s militarily aggressive claim to the Essequibo region.