JAMAICA | Rubio Pledges Review of US Travel Advisory as Jamaica-US Relations Deepen

KINGSTON, Jamaica March 27, 2025 - United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has committed to reviewing the restrictive US travel advisory against Jamaica as part of a broader package of cooperation initiatives between the two nations. 

The announcement came during a high-profile diplomatic visit on Wednesday that signals a potential turning point in Jamaica's international standing with the US.

In a joint press conference following bilateral talks with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Rubio acknowledged it was time for the Trump administration to reassess its current travel guidance, which has discouraged American tourists from visiting the island nation.

"I think we need to analyze that and just ensure that the status we're currently in accurately reflects the status quo and takes into account the progress you've already made this year and made last year," Rubio stated, citing Jamaica's remarkable decline in murder rates throughout 2024 and into the current year.

The Secretary offered rare praise for Jamaica's security improvements, characterizing them as "one of the highest numbers, in terms of reductions in murder, which we've seen of any country in the region."

This diplomatic nod comes at a crucial time for Jamaica's tourism sector, which has long struggled against the shadow of negative travel advisories.

Rubio's visit marks a significant diplomatic milestone, as he becomes only the fifth US Secretary of State to visit Jamaica in the past 14 years. His predecessors include Hillary Clinton (January 2010 and June 2011), Rex Tillerson (February 2018), Mike Pompeo (January 2020), and most recently, Antony Blinken in May 2024.

Beyond the travel advisory review, Rubio outlined ambitious plans for economic and security cooperation between the two nations.

Among the most promising initiatives is the facilitation of near-shore manufacturing opportunities for Jamaica, part of a broader U.S. strategy to relocate manufacturing enterprises from distant locations back to either American soil or nearby regional partners.

The economic cooperation extends to energy as well, with Rubio highlighting the potential availability of Liquified Natural Gas as a primary source of clean and affordable energy to drive Jamaica's manufacturing ambitions.

This energy partnership aligns strategically with Jamaica's own vision for developing its logistics hub, a point Prime Minister Holness emphasized in his opening remarks.

Addressing the thorny issue of gun violence, Rubio made a frank admission that the United States remains a major source of firearms fueling criminal activity in Jamaica.

He pledged enhanced cooperation to stem the flow of weapons, a commitment that could prove crucial to sustaining Jamaica's recent security gains.

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