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ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA (Times Caribbean) – In a stunning diplomatic bombshell, Grenada’s Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall has become the first casualty of Washington’s hardline crackdown on the region’s ties to Cuba’s controversial medical brigade program.

Adding fuel to the fire, the U.S. has also reportedly revoked the visa of Ophelia Cornwall, the estranged wife of the minister, who according to political insiders, is now in a relationship with former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell of the opposition New National Party (NNP).

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⚡ “I WILL LOSE MY VISA FOR CUBA”

The dramatic move comes just months after Cornwall defiantly declared in Parliament that he was prepared to lose his U.S. visa in order to stand in solidarity with Cuba, whose doctors he credited for saving lives across Grenada and the wider Caribbean.

Cornwall, who studied in Cuba during the revolutionary 1980s, has been a vocal supporter of Havana’s medical outreach, alongside Grenada’s Foreign Minister Joseph Andall, another Cuban-trained official.

But Washington has branded the Cuban medical program a “forced labor scheme”, accusing Havana of pocketing the lion’s share of salaries while doctors are left with scraps. Unconfirmed reports suggest Grenada may have paid 65% of doctors’ wages directly to the Cuban government in U.S. dollars, with just 35% going to the medical professionals themselves.

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⚡ A DIPLOMATIC EARTHQUAKE

Grenada’s 3-year-old government, led by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, has been formally notified of the visa cancellations, though no fiery public response has yet emerged from St. George’s.

Instead, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a carefully worded statement after a high-level meeting in Washington on August 19, 2025, acknowledging the restrictions while stressing that both Grenada and the U.S. had reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue through “established diplomatic channels.”

But behind the scenes, political observers warn the revocation is a devastating blow to Cornwall’s credibility and effectiveness as Finance Minister, especially with international financial institutions where face-to-face engagement is essential.

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⚡ THE CUBAN QUESTION

The U.S. sanctions strike at the heart of a decades-old dilemma in the Caribbean: whether to side with Washington’s embargo — one of the longest in modern history — or stand with Cuba’s socialist model of solidarity, especially in healthcare.

For Grenada, which has long relied on Cuban doctors to shore up its fragile health system, the stakes could not be higher. Several Caribbean governments are now quietly reviewing their agreements with Havana as Washington turns up the pressure.

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⚡ A REGION ON EDGE

This latest twist leaves Grenada at a crossroads — trapped between its historical friendship with Cuba and the cold reality of U.S. power.

For Minister Cornwall, the fallout is deeply personal: his political standing, his international mobility, and his credibility are all under siege. For Grenada, the risk is far greater — a clash with Washington that could ripple across trade, aid, and diplomacy.

As one Caribbean analyst put it bluntly:

“This isn’t just about Dennis Cornwall. This is about the Caribbean’s fight for independence in foreign policy — and whether we can withstand the weight of American pressure.”

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Times Caribbean will continue to track this explosive story as Grenada navigates the stormy waters of U.S.-Cuba-Caribbean relations.

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