Michelle Kellerman

Rubio gave a thumbs up as he sat down to address the meeting of CARICOM on the island of St.

Kitts.

Behind closed doors, according to a transcript, he told the presidents and prime ministers gathered here that he's committed to making things work in Venezuela and believes that country will need to hold free and fair democratic elections to get to the next step.

He didn't mention his pressure campaign on Cuba, which is getting some pushback from some CARICOM states.

Rubio instead focused on how he wants to partner with Caribbean countries to stop the flow of drugs into the U.S.

and prevent narco-terrorists from buying weaponry from the U.S.

Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, St.

Kitts.

It's NPR.

The State Department says Rubio is at the meeting to talk about cooperation in combating drug trafficking and organized crime with the 15 nations that are part of CARICOM.

The group is holding its annual summit in St.

Kitts,

as the U.S.

continues to carry out deadly strikes on what it says are drug boats in the Caribbean region.

Secretary Rubio is also trying to step up the pressure on Cuba.

Following the U.S.

ouster of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, several Cuban leaders are pushing back against Rubio's efforts to crack down on Cuban medical missions, which the U.S.

calls forced labor.

Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, with the Secretary in St.

Kitts.