United States–Caribbean relations

United States–Caribbean relations
Name	United States–Caribbean relations
Established	19th century–present
Parties	United States; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Cuba; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guyana; Haiti; Jamaica; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Antigua and Barbuda; Trinidad and Tobago; Aruba; Curaçao; Bonaire; Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands

Contents

United States–Caribbean relations describe the political, economic, security, migratory, and cultural interactions between the United States and independent states, territories, and dependencies in the Caribbean region from the 19th century to the present. Relations have been shaped by events such as the Spanish–American War, the Panama Canal era, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and contemporary initiatives like the Caribbean Community and the Organization of American States. Major actors include presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, and institutions including the United States Agency for International Development, United States Department of State, United States Southern Command, and regional bodies such as the Caribbean Development Bank.

History

From the 19th century, relations were influenced by the Monroe Doctrine, Manifest Destiny, and interventions exemplified by the Spanish–American War and the Platt Amendment. The construction and strategic importance of the Panama Canal intertwined Caribbean geopolitics with United States Navy deployments and the Roosevelt Corollary. The early 20th century saw occupations of Haiti and Nicaragua and the imposition of treaties like the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty. During the Good Neighbor Policy era under Franklin D. Roosevelt, bilateral ties shifted toward non-intervention, engaging actors such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the Office of the Historian. The Cold War transformed relationships through events including the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Operation Condor's regional implications, and interventions in Grenada under Operation Urgent Fury. Economic and political pressures involved leaders such as Fidel Castro and institutions like the Central Intelligence Agency. Post-Cold War, trade agreements like the Caribbean Basin Initiative and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act shaped commerce, while post-9/11 security architecture engaged the United States Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, and United States Southern Command.

Diplomatic engagement operates through embassies such as the U.S. Embassy in Havana and through multilateral forums including the Organization of American States and the Summit of the Americas. High-level visits by presidents including Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump have addressed issues alongside prime ministers and presidents like Portia Simpson-Miller, Evelyn Weir, Andrew Holness, Mia Mottley, and Luis Abinader. Treaties and accords involve signatories under instruments like the Mutual Defense Assistance Act and bilateral agreements on extradition exemplified by cases involving Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Rafael Trujillo’s legacy. Sanctions and policy tools have been applied against regimes such as Haiti during political crises, and toward Cuba through measures including the Cuban Assets Control Regulations and the Helms–Burton Act. Congressional actors including Senate Foreign Relations Committee members and Secretaries of State such as Henry Kissinger, Madeleine Albright, and Mike Pompeo influence diplomatic posture.

Trade links are governed by policies including the Caribbean Basin Initiative and multilateral lenders like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Major trading partners among Caribbean states include Trinidad and Tobago for energy, Dominican Republic for textiles, and Jamaica for bauxite and alumina linked to firms such as Alcoa. Investment from corporations like ExxonMobil, Chevron Corporation, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola Company, Chiquita Brands International, Royal Dutch Shell, and BP affect local sectors. Development finance flows from United States Agency for International Development and programs under Millennium Challenge Corporation and United States International Development Finance Corporation. Tourism connects Miami and Orlando with destinations such as The Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Lucia, and Aruba, while remittances from diasporas in New York City, Boston, and Toronto intersect with regional banking institutions like the Caribbean Development Bank and multinational banks including Citibank and HSBC.

Defense ties involve United States Southern Command, naval operations by the United States Navy, and coast interdiction by the United States Coast Guard. Joint exercises like Tradewinds and counter-narcotics operations with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation address trafficking networks linked to cartels such as Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Disaster response coordination uses assets from Federal Emergency Management Agency and partnerships with regional militaries including the Royal Barbados Defence Force and Jamaica Defence Force. Counterterrorism efforts engage Department of Homeland Security and intelligence sharing with partners through mechanisms involving the Caribbean Regional Security System and the Inter-American Defense Board.

Migration flows encompass historical movements like the Great Migration's indirect effects and postcolonial labor migrations to the United States and United Kingdom. Significant Caribbean diaspora communities reside in New York City, Miami, Toronto, London, and Boston with cultural hubs tied to figures such as Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey, Derek Walcott, and V. S. Naipaul. Immigration policy instruments include the Immigration and Nationality Act and responses to crises like the Haitian migrant emergency, with enforcement by United States Customs and Border Protection and adjudication through Board of Immigration Appeals. Programs such as Temporary Protected Status have affected nationals from Haiti and Venezuela with impacts on remittances and transnational networks.

Cultural diplomacy uses initiatives like the Fulbright Program, United States Information Agency legacy efforts, and exchanges involving institutions such as University of the West Indies, Howard University, City University of New York, and Florida International University. Artistic and literary ties highlight creators and works including Salman Rushdie, Jean Rhys, Edwidge Danticat, Claude McKay, Zadie Smith, and festivals in Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Crop Over, and Caribana. Media and broadcasting collaborations involve outlets like BBC World Service and Voice of America, while sports migration connects clubs in Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association with athletes from Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.