Trump to meet with Caribbean leaders at Florida Resort

(Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump will meet at his Florida resort on Friday with the leaders of the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Saint Lucia to discuss Chinese “predatory economic practices” and the Venezuela situation, the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

Trump and the Caribbean leaders will also discuss security cooperation and the potential opportunities for energy investment, the White House said.

“The President looks forward to working with countries in the region to strengthen our security cooperation and counter China’s predatory economic practices,” the White House statement said.

Washington has warned countries in the region about accepting Chinese investment. In October, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters in Mexico City that “when China comes calling it’s not always to the good of your citizens.”

“When they show up with deals that seem to be too good to be true it’s often the case that they, in fact, are,” Pompeo said.

On Venezuela, the United States has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president.

Guaido invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency in January, saying President Nicolas Maduro’s re-election was not legitimate. Most Western countries have backed Guaido as head of state.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-caribbean/trump-to-meet-with-caribbean-leaders-on-friday-at-his-florida-resort-idUSKCN1R02UH