2025 Caribbean Year in Review

• 2025 was marked by geopolitical tension between the U.S. and Venezuela, placing the Caribbean in a precarious position.
• Cultural achievements flourished despite financial challenges, while climate change intensified with the impact of Hurricane Melissa.
• Athletic success provided a morale boost, though long-standing issues regarding LGBTQ+ rights and colonial legacies persisted.

Geopolitics and Regional Security

• The region faced increased instability due to the U.S.-Venezuela standoff, with the U.S. implementing military strikes on vessels in regional waters.
• Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar faced backlash from within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for facilitating U.S. military presence, leading to accusations of being anti-CARICOM.
• Venezuela heightened tensions by accusing Trinidad and Tobago of complicity in U.S. blockades and referencing historical territorial claims.

Arts and Culture

• Literary recognition included Anthony V. Capildeo winning the OCM Bocas Prize and the Windham Campbell Prize 2025, while Subraj Singh and Chanel Sutherland won Commonwealth Short Story Prize honors.
• Creative milestones featured artist Melissa Koby creating imagery for the U.S. Open and celebrations surrounding reggae culture, notably in São Luís, Brazil.
• The Bocas Lit Fest lost its long-term sponsor, highlighting systemic difficulties for artists seeking sustainable financial support.

Environment and Climate Crisis

• Regional initiatives included solar expansion in the Dominican Republic, zero-waste efforts in Guadeloupe, and nature-based disaster strategies in Barbados.
• Concerns persisted regarding environmental degradation, including plastic pollution and threats to coral reefs in Tobago.
• Hurricane Melissa caused significant destruction, particularly in Jamaica, prompting activists to demand more robust climate action at COP 30.

Human Rights and Society

• LGBTQ+ advocacy faced setbacks in Jamaica, where anti-gay political rhetoric returned, and in Trinidad and Tobago, where the Court of Appeal reversed a pro-decriminalization ruling, moving the case to the UK Privy Council.
• The region mourned several notable figures, including reggae icons Jimmy Cliff, Max Romeo, and Cocoa Tea, as well as poet Velma Pollard and journalists Rickey Singh and Jones P. Madeira.
• Colonial history remained a focus of public discourse, spanning from the U.S. pardon of Marcus Garvey to debates over national symbols.