Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley announced he will resign on March 16, 2025, after opening two major projects—the Central Block of the Port of Spain General Hospital on March 10 and the new ANR Robinson Airport terminal on March 15. Speaking at the renaming of Lisa Morris-Julian Boulevard, he reflected on his tenure, emphasizing that public service is temporary and expressing satisfaction with his contributions. He acknowledged the challenges of governance, particularly managing national projects with limited resources.
The 75-year-old has led the party since 2010.
Reflecting on his tenure, Rowley acknowledged challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and rising negativity in public discourse but expressed confidence in the next generation of leaders to guide the country forward.
The ongoing crisis in Haiti remains a pressing concern for CARICOM leaders, with discussions intensifying at the regional bloc’s summit this week. Addressing the ceremonial opening on Wednesday night, Barbados Prime Minister and CARICOM Chair Mia Mottley cautioned that simply scheduling elections for November 15 would not be sufficient to resolve Haiti’s deep-rooted challenges.
Saint Kitts and Nevis Foreign Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas confirmed that Haiti was a central topic in the CARICOM Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting ahead of the three-day summit. “The time has come for us to seriously look at the Haitian situation, work with the international community, and bring about lasting democratic change for the betterment of the people of Haiti,” Douglas stated.
Haiti’s deteriorating security situation remains a significant hurdle. Criminal gangs currently control 90 percent of Port-au-Prince and are expanding their grip, leading to widespread violence and thousands of deaths, including among women and children. Despite this, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne remains cautiously optimistic. “Having a stable government is a prerequisite for stabilising Haiti. CARICOM will give all the support it can to ensure that Haiti returns to political and overall stability,” Browne said.
However, some leaders remain skeptical. Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit described the proposed November elections as “aspirational rather than practical.” He stressed that unless international partners, including the United Nations Security Council, fulfil their commitments, elections this year are unlikely.
CARICOM leaders have agreed on the need to prioritise Haiti’s security before elections can proceed. “We must do everything to ensure elections are held, but before that, we must ensure stability in terms of security and humanitarian aid,” Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali noted.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addressed CARICOM leaders on Wednesday night, proposing a UN-led funding model similar to that used in Somalia. This would see the UN covering structural and logistical expenses while trust funds pay security forces. The proposal’s acceptance by the UN Security Council remains uncertain.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves underscored the critical need for a stable security environment to facilitate elections. “Public gatherings and campaign events must be safe for elections to be credible,” he warned.
Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis echoed concerns about the timeline. “There needs to be a cooling-off period of at least six months to ensure any achieved stability is sustainable,” he said, emphasizing that elections in November would be highly challenging under the current conditions.
As CARICOM leaders continue their summit, the path forward for Haiti remains uncertain, with the regional body grappling with how best to support the troubled nation while ensuring any electoral process is credible, secure, and reflective of the Haitian people’s will. The summit concludes on Friday.
Paquita la del Barrio, the celebrated Mexican singer known for her unapologetic ballads that called out male infidelity and machismo, passed away on Monday at her home in Veracruz. She was 77.
The news was confirmed through her official social media accounts, though no cause of death was disclosed.
Paquita, born Francisca Viveros Barradas on April 2, 1947, rose to prominence in the traditionally male-dominated ranchera genre. With songs like Rata de Dos Patas,Me Saludas a la Tuya, and Tres Veces Te Engañé, she gave voice to women’s frustrations and became a symbol of empowerment. Her music, raw and direct, turned personal pain into anthems.
Paquita’s music was shaped by her own life experiences. As a teenager, she married a man nearly 30 years her senior, only to discover he had another family. That marriage ended, but the heartbreak fuelled her artistry. In a 2021 interview with USA Today, she reflected on love and betrayal: “I’ve suffered a lot. The heart goes where it wants, and those feelings guide people to my music.”
Over time, even men became fans of her biting lyrics.
Paquita got her stage name—meaning “Paquita from the Neighborhood”—while performing alongside her sister, Viola Viveros, in Mexico City.
Throughout her career, she released over 30 albums and earned three Grammy nominations. In 2021, she was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, presented to her by Bad Bunny, recognising her profound impact on Latin music.
El Salvador has agreed to house violent criminals from the United States and accept deportees of any nationality, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday. The unprecedented deal, which has sparked legal and human rights concerns, was revealed following Rubio’s meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele as part of a regional tour to strengthen support for the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
According to the agreement, El Salvador will continue accepting deported Salvadoran nationals but will also receive non-Salvadoran criminals, including members of notorious gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Additionally, Bukele has offered to house dangerous American criminals, including U.S. citizens and legal residents, in Salvadoran prisons for a fee.
The legal feasibility of this agreement remains uncertain. U.S. law prohibits the deportation of its own citizens, raising concerns about constitutional violations. Immigration law expert Leti Volpp of UC Berkeley noted that any effort to send incarcerated American citizens abroad would face significant legal challenges.
Bukele later confirmed the agreement on X, stating that his government is willing to accept only convicted criminals, including U.S. citizens, at the country’s largest prison.
The facility, designed to hold up to 40,000 inmates, has been central to Bukele’s aggressive crackdown on gang violence. While his security policies have dramatically lowered crime rates, they have also drawn condemnation from human rights organisations, which describe the prison conditions as inhumane.
The U.S. State Department has warned about harsh conditions in El Salvador’s prisons, highlighting severe overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and inadequate access to legal representation. Critics argue that transferring detainees to such facilities raises serious ethical and legal concerns.
The family of a Belizean woman who died under mysterious circumstances on a hospital rooftop in Waukegan, Illinois, is struggling to come to terms with her tragic death. Twenty-seven-year-old Chelsea Adolphus was found unresponsive, wearing only a medical gown, on the roof of Vista Medical Center last Thursday. Preliminary autopsy results released on Monday revealed she died of hypothermia due to cold exposure. Adolphus had been admitted to the hospital the day before for an unspecified medical issue and was discovered missing from her room that morning. She was found on the roof nearly seven hours later, with temperatures well below freezing. Despite the staff’s efforts to resuscitate her for fourteen hours, Adolphus was pronounced dead around eleven that night. The hospital has launched an investigation, but the family has already filed lawsuits against the facility. Today, Dayan Adolphus, Chelsea’s aunt, told News Five’s Marion Ali that they are in shock.
Yolanda Adolphus
Yolanda Adolphus, Mother of Deceased
“She was sweet, she was friendly. She’s a kind person.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
Yolanda Adolphus, holding back tears, spoke about the vibrant personality of her only daughter, Chelsea. Now, she is demanding answers.
Yolanda Adolphus
“I’m sad, the way how my daughter’s death went and I want answers. I want they give me answers to know what happened to my daughter. Somebody needs to give me what happened to my baby who is gone and I will never get back my daughter.”
According to ABC News, a relative peered through one of the hospital windows and was shocked to see Chelsea lying on the rooftop. Civil Rights Attorney, Benjamin Crump has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital on behalf of Chelsea’s family. Their claim centers on negligence, among other issues.
Benjamin Crump
Benjamin Crump, Civil Rights Attorney
“This is a god-awful heartbreaking tragedy. We promise the family that we will get to the truth of what happened.”
Kevin Spiegel, the hospital’s CEO, stated that the staff began searching for Chelsea almost immediately after she was reported missing.
Kevin Spiegel
Kevin Spiegel, CEO, Vista Medical Centre
“We’re confident that the way the staff handled the situation was a hundred percent appropriate.”
Today, Dayan Adolphus, Chelsea’s aunt from Belize, shared with News Five that Chelsea had left Belize as a child and was planning to visit her this year.
Marion Ali
“You spoke about what?”
Dayan Adolphus
Dayan Adolphus, Aunt of Chelsea Adolphus
“Oh, we spoke about life, coming here to Belize, you know, and she’s like, “I want to come here,” you know, because she born in Cayo, so, she’s like, well, “Auntie, try, get ready that I’mma, come over there soon, and then you’ll get to know me more.”
While Dayan Adolphus mentioned that her niece struggled with depression, the specific medical condition that brought Chelsea to the hospital remains unclear. Marion Ali for News Five.
Google announced it will rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users on its mapping platform, following an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump. The change will be implemented once updated in the U.S. government’s Geographic Names Information System.
For users in Mexico, the body of water will retain the name Gulf of Mexico, while users outside the U.S. and Mexico will see both names displayed.
Localised naming conventions are a standard practice for Google Maps, particularly in regions with naming disputes. For instance, users in South Korea see the body of water between Korea and Japan labelled as the East Sea, while users elsewhere see both the “Sea of Japan” and the “East Sea.”
Google Maps, used by over a billion people monthly, plays a pivotal role in shaping perceptions of geography. However, its processes for naming are often opaque, influenced by historical context, local laws, diplomacy, and company policy.
The Gulf of Mexico, a vital 218,000-square-mile basin connecting the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, has been recognised by its current name for over 400 years. Despite its deep historical roots, Trump announced the renaming earlier this month, stating, “What a beautiful name, and it’s appropriate,” tying the decision to frustrations with Mexico over immigration and drug trafficking.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticised the proposal, suggesting North America could be renamed “Mexican America” in jest, referencing historical documents that used the term before Mexico’s constitution. “That sounds nice, no?” she remarked during a press briefing.
US stock markets faced a sharp downturn on Monday after Chinese AI startup DeepSeek unveiled a groundbreaking AI model, R1, which operates at a fraction of the cost of existing US models. This announcement shook investor confidence in the US tech sector, sending the tech-heavy Nasdaq down 3.1%, while Nvidia lost nearly $600 billion in market value—the largest single-day loss ever recorded.
DeepSeek’s R1 model, developed with just $5.6 million in computing costs, challenges the dominance of US AI leaders like OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which spend billions on similar technologies. This development raises questions about the sustainability of US companies’ heavy investments in AI and their competitive edge.
Nvidia, a leading AI chip supplier, saw its stock plummet by 17%, while other major tech companies, including Meta and Alphabet, also experienced significant losses. Energy companies tied to AI data centres and cryptocurrencies followed suit, further amplifying market declines.
The announcement has drawn attention to undervalued Chinese tech companies, with analysts predicting increased investor interest in the sector. However, scepticism remains about whether DeepSeek’s claims will hold up and if this breakthrough signals a lasting shift in the AI landscape. The market volatility is expected to continue as US tech firms report earnings and address the implications of this disruptive innovation.
Mario Lubetkin, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean
The Regional Overview of Food and Nutrition Security report 2024 underscores an undeniable reality: Latin America and the Caribbean is at a critical juncture in its fight against hunger and malnutrition. While hunger in the region has decreased over the past two years—from 45.3 million people in 2021 to 41 million in 2023—progress remains uneven and fragile. The situation is particularly concerning in some subregions, such as the Caribbean, where the hunger rate has risen from 15.4% to 17.2%.
The COVID-19 pandemic left deep scars, exacerbating existing structural inequalities and weakening food production and distribution systems. Adding to this are the devastating impacts of climate variability and extreme events—droughts, storms, and floods—that now affect 74% of countries in the region with increasing frequency. These persistent challenges not only reduce agricultural productivity but also drive-up food prices, limit availability, and compromise the stability of agrifood systems. Vulnerable populations bear the brunt of these disruptions.
Food security is closely linked to climate resilience. To ensure a hunger-free future, it is essential to promote sustainable agricultural practices that integrate nutritious foods into healthy diets, improve productivity, and mitigate environmental impacts. This includes fostering climate-resilient crops, adopting clean technologies, and protecting natural resources. At the same time, social protection programs must ensure access to nutritious food, especially during crises.
The ongoing transformation in the region, while still facing significant challenges, has demonstrated, over recent years, a strong commitment to collaborative efforts aimed at achieving more sustainable and coherent outcomes.
There are tangible and encouraging signs that governments in Latin America and the Caribbean have embraced the fight against hunger and poverty as an unavoidable priority—an urgent necessity that calls for concrete actions to ensure sustainable development. Hunger is incompatible with peace, development, productivity, and, of course, sustainability.
The Food Security, Nutrition, and Hunger Eradication Plan of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC FSN Plan 2030) is a milestone. It provides a valuable platform for coordinating efforts, sharing knowledge, and developing common strategies. The upcoming Meeting of Agriculture Ministers of CELAC 2025, to be held in Comayagua, Honduras, in early February, represents an opportunity to solidify these commitments and advance the implementation of policies and actions that strengthen food security and improve nutrition across the region.
However, government efforts alone are insufficient without the participation and contributions of multiple sectors. The fight against hunger requires a comprehensive approach that considers not only food availability but also accessibility, utilization, and stability in changing contexts. Broad collaboration among actors is and will remain essential to building more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems.
Latin America and the Caribbean’s progress in reducing hunger is at a historic moment, with implications for the region and globally. The fight against hunger has become a race against time. Yet, this region has demonstrated its potential to become a beacon of resilience, prosperity, and commitment to global objectives. Its contribution is key to ensuring a more just and sustainable future for all.
As Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, I have had the privilege of being part of this journey over the past years. However, this work does not belong to one individual or organization; it is a collective effort—a chance for each of us to contribute to a world free of inequality, hunger, and poverty, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro reversed his decision to block U.S. military deportation flights following intense pressure from President Donald Trump, including threats of steep tariffs and sanctions. Petro initially denied entry to two U.S. military planes carrying deportees, citing concerns over the treatment of migrants. However, after a heated exchange between the two leaders, Colombia agreed to accept deportation flights, provided the process ensures “dignity and respect” for the deportees.
President Trump’s administration responded by placing the threatened tariffs and sanctions “on hold” but maintained that visa restrictions would remain until Colombia received its first group of deportees. Trump said that this move demonstrated renewed respect for America globally, while Petro’s government announced it had “overcome the impasse” with the U.S.
With the U.S. being Colombia’s largest trading partner, Trump’s threats of a 25% tariff on Colombian imports, including key exports like coffee and crude oil, underscored the stakes.
The clash also revealed Petro’s critique of U.S. policies, calling for fair treatment of deportees while condemning heavy-handed approaches.
Previously, Mexico blocked a U.S. military deportation flight due to a paperwork issue and miscommunication, delaying plans to return illegal immigrants. While two flights to Guatemala proceeded, Mexico reaffirmed its refusal to accept non-Mexican asylum seekers under the U.S. “Remain in Mexico” program.
In response to a question about Belize’s stance, Prime Minister John Briceño firmly rejected the idea of accepting non-Belizean deportees, stating, “We are a sovereign nation, and they cannot force us to accept people that are not citizens of this country.” While Belize is open to welcoming returning Belizean citizens, Briceño stressed that the country will not bow to U.S. pressures to serve as a third-country refuge for non-citizens.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, many of which will directly and indirectly impact Belizeans. One notable order will temporarily halt US aid to foreign countries until certain policies are revised. We asked Prime Minister Briceño how he thinks this order will affect the financial support Belize receives from the US. He was also asked for his thoughts on the appointment of a US Chargé d’Affaires instead of an ambassador.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We do not get a lot of financial assistance from the U.S. We were awarded and signed a contract with the Millenium Corporation, MCC. The MCC is a private entity, not a government entity. But it is funded by the U.S. Government. So, when we signed a compact that money had already been set aside. So, I believe we will be fine. We will still have access to that money. So, whether the MCC will get more funding for signing other compacts in other countries I hope it could be worked out, because I think MCC is doing a great job in different countries, and we are excited to work with them in education and energy.”
Reporter
“Should we be offended that we are now with a Charge’ and not an ambassador?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“That is for their country to decide. We have been without an ambassador. I am told that Bahamas from 2012 did not have an ambassador and finally Hershel Walker the football player has been nominated to be ambassador. It is up to them. We hope they put an ambassador. I am sure the people close to Donald Trump will realize that there is an opening to come to Belize.”
