Guyana abstained on Wednesday’s United Nations General Assembly vote condemning the decades-old US embargo on Cuba, joining Jamaica and Haiti as the only CARICOM states to do so. No official explanation for Guyana’s position had been reported.
The vote
The resolution passed with 130 votes in favour, 17 against and 25 abstentions, a sharp fall from last year’s 165-7-12 result, Demerara Waves reported. Within CARICOM:
- In favour: The Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis and Suriname;
- Abstained: Guyana, Jamaica and Haiti;
- Against: Trinidad and Tobago, the first CARICOM member ever to vote no;
- Did not vote: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and St Lucia.
Jamaica explained itself. Guyana did not.
Jamaica’s Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson-Smith publicly set out her government’s reasons, describing the abstention as “a shift in policy” and saying Jamaica did not vote against “because we do not support unilateral actions.” Jamaica’s parliament also debated a motion on Cuba’s humanitarian situation.
By contrast, Demerara Waves reported no official explanation from Georgetown. For a country that has long relied on Cuban medical scholarships and doctors, and that values the principle of non-interference in its own border controversy with Venezuela, that silence is notable.
Opposition warnings
PNCR Leader and APNU Chairman Aubrey Norton has previously accused the government of abandoning Cuba and of failing to protect Guyana’s interests in relation to Havana, in criticisms reported by Stabroek News in March. The abstention is likely to sharpen those concerns.
Questions for the Foreign Ministry
- Why did Guyana abstain, and was the position discussed with CARICOM partners beforehand?
- Was the decision taken by Cabinet, and will the government brief the National Assembly?
- What assurances has Guyana sought on continued cooperation with Cuba on health and education?
Foreign policy shifts of this kind affect Guyana’s standing in the region and with long-standing partners. The public deserves an explanation rather than silence.
Sources
- Demerara Waves: Guyana abstains from vote on UN resolution condemning US embargo on Cuba (Oct 28, 2026)
- CNC3: T&T turns back on Cuba (Oct 2026)
- Stabroek News: Norton accuses gov’t of abandoning Cuba (Mar 12, 2026)
- Stabroek News: Gov’t failed to protect Guyana’s interests in relation to Cuba – Norton (Mar 15, 2026)
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