US invites Trinidad PM Persad-Bissessar to Florida Leaders Summit

The United States has invited Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to attend a leaders summit in Florida on March 7.

Persad-Bissessar disclosed the invitation to the media yesterday following her one-on-one meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in St Kitts and Nevis. The bilateral talks took place on the margins of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.

International media reports indicate that the U.S. has invited select Latin American leaders to the March 7 summit at a time when the administration is highlighting what it views as growing Chinese influence in the region. Reports are that special invitations were extended to Persad-Bissessar and Guyana President Irfaan Ali.

Persad-Bissessar, accompanied by members of her delegation, including Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers, met with Rubio and his team to discuss a range of regional and bilateral issues. She previously met Rubio in September 2025 in Washington, DC, following her attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Speaking to reporters after yesterday’s meeting, the Prime Minister said discussions covered Haiti, Cuba and engagement with Venezuela.

“Today with (Rubio), we talked about Haiti, we talked about Cuba, of course, we talked about the engagements with Venezuela and the way forward, and he committed on (March 7) when we meet President Trump, more details will be shared on several things that I raised with him today,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Energy cooperation between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States also featured prominently. Persad-Bissessar said Rubio indicated support through the U.S. Department of Energy in relation to reopening the former Petrotrin refinery, which was closed in 2018 under the previous People’s National Movement administration.

The Prime Minister said her Government is “very serious” about restarting the refinery.

“Secretary (Rubio) agreed that they will put us on to their Department of Energy to assist us in seeking to get the best partner to open that refinery,” she said, adding that several expressions of interest have already been received.

She noted that Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal met with Oando and that another meeting with an interested party was scheduled in St Kitts.

Shortly after assuming office, the Persad-Bissessar administration established a committee to explore reopening the Guaracara refinery. An interim report reviewed by the Government indicated that restarting operations was technically, commercially and financially viable despite years of closure and deterioration. The Energy Ministry has since been directed to evaluate the findings and present restart options to Cabinet.

Persad-Bissessar also referenced the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licence granted to Trinidad and Tobago by the U.S. Treasury Department following her September 2025 meeting with Rubio. The licence allows the country to pursue energy negotiations linked to Venezuela’s offshore Dragon gas field that would otherwise be restricted under U.S. sanctions.

Questions have since arisen about the future of Trinidad and Tobago’s energy cooperation with Venezuela following the U.S. military’s ousting of President Nicolas Maduro in January.

The Prime Minister described her meeting with Rubio as “great,” calling him a brisk, bright and articulate leader who is well acquainted with regional issues.

Rubio later posted on X that discussions focused on strengthening the partnership between the two countries.

“In my meeting with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar we talked about making our partnership even stronger to make our people more prosperous and safe. Trinidad and Tobago’s ongoing support for U.S. military operations in the South Caribbean Sea is one example of many and is helping us protect both our citizens from the scourge of drug trafficking,” Rubio wrote.

Persad-Bissessar responded, thanking Rubio for the engagement and reaffirming Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to cooperation grounded in shared security and regional stability.