Opposition Leader on Cuba, “I have a problem with dictatorships”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow

Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow says his position on the Prime Minister’s speech at the ninth Summit of the Americas is his stance alone and not that of the U.D.P. Barrow reportedly said that PM Briceño’s was, quote, nothing more than diplomatic prostitution, unquote. In his speech, P.M. Briceño chastised the Biden Administration for not inviting Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to the summit. While PM Briceño’s speech received high praises from the New York Times, Barrow says, “down with dictatorships”.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“My position, my position, my position, we have not had an opportunity as a Party to discuss, because people ask for reform, but do you really want reform or do you want things to continue the way they did for the last forty years. I don’t believe in that. I also don’t believe in a homogenous democracy. I believe in diversity. In Cuba you don’t even have a press corps and I have a problem with that. I appreciate what they have done for Belize, but I have a problem with dictatorships as a Leader of the Opposition. In Cuba, those people who are publicly chiding me and attacking me, they would go missing in Cuba. That is what dictatorship looks like. So I am not saying as Prime Minister I will not have diplomatic relations with Cuba or Venezuela, but that will not be a wholesale relationship that ok you give Petrocaribe, you give medical scholarships and I will say human rights violation, democracy doesn’t matter.”