The Caribbean is not a peripheral region but a core component of the United States' economic and security environment. Its ports support US trade, its routes shape regional stability, and its infrastructure is now central to geopolitical competition.
Issue Brief
June 1, 2026 • 9:00 am ET
Maite Latorre Yerou and Patricia R. Francis
Bottom lines up front
Caribbean ports are failing and taking US trade and security down with them. China is building ports in the United States’ backyard while Washington debates. Without data, strategy, and trained workers, billions in investment will be wasted.
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