Stakeholders both at home and abroad are closely monitoring the recent incident between Jamaica and North America, interested to see how the situation will be handled amidst talks of a rift between the two countries.
According to reports, there is a diplomatic disagreement stemming from Jamaica’s refusal to acknowledge same-sex marriage. However, sources from CVM Live suggest that it was merely a request that was denied and nothing more. The historically strong ties between Jamaica and the United States seem to be affected as they find themselves entangled in this disagreement.
CVM Live understands that the tension arises from Jamaica’s commitment to preserving its culture and upholding its laws, which includes not recognizing same-sex marriages since they are illegal in the country. Consequently, Jamaica declined to facilitate the accreditation request of the spouse of an American diplomat. While the couple is recognized as married in the USA, the same status cannot be acknowledged in Jamaica due to legal restrictions.
Both parties involved are dismissing claims that the issue has escalated to a diplomatic row, emphasizing that it is primarily a request that was denied. There are further speculations that the US government has also rejected a request from the Jamaican government to extend the stay of three Jamaican diplomats and consulates, including Ambassador Audrey Marks and Consul General Oliver Mair. However, sources clarify that this denial is part of a broader move by the US government to review extension requests globally and is not specifically targeted at Jamaica. Watch the report:
