In Jamaica, Marco Rubio vows to revisit US travel warning

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the State Department will re-evaluate its travel warnings for Jamaica and other countries to ensure they reflect real conditions on the ground.

As part of a tour of the Caribbean, Rubio heard complaints from Jamaican officials about the warning for their country, which is heavily dependent on tourism. The current travel warning for Jamaica advises Americans “to reconsider” visiting the country due to high crime rates.

While agreeing to re-look at the travel advisory, Rubio defended the Trump administration’s opposition to a Cuban government program that sends physicians and other medical workers to countries in need of such personnel, including Jamaica.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said his nation had benefitted greatly from the program that the Trump administration claims violates international labor standards and amounts to human trafficking in some instances.

Rubio’s trip will take him from Jamaica to Guyana and Suriname as the administration increasingly turns its attention to the Western Hemisphere. Rubio is also focused on weaning Caribbean countries from their dependence on Venezuelan oil and combating illegal immigration.

President Donald Trump recently announced new sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports. The Republican president has threatened to impose tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. by other countries that buy oil from Venezuela.

On the Jamaica travel warning, Rubio did not promise it would be eased but did say revisions were possible in light of progress the Jamaican government has made in reducing crime.

“We pledged (that) we’re going to go back and reevaluate the travel advisories as they currently stand to ensure that they do reflect the reality of the new numbers and what the numbers show,” Rubio said, noting that Jamaica has “made very impressive progress in your general numbers overall when it comes to the murder rate and so forth.”

Holness said he appreciated Rubio's pledge. “We are committed to working collaboratively to ensure that travel advisories reflect the current realities and promote travel to Jamaica,” he said. “I’m confident that the dialogue initiated today will lead to tangible outcomes.”

Holness also strongly defended the Cuban doctor program and said Jamaica ensured that the physicians and nurses sent by Havana were protected by Jamaican labor laws.

“Let us be clear, the Cuban doctors in Jamaica have been incredibly helpful to us," he said, adding that Jamaica has a shortage of domestic health workers because many have migrated to other countries.

“We ensure that they are treated within our labor laws and benefit like any other worker,” Holness said. “So any characterization of the program by others certainly would not be applicable to Jamaica. We are ensuring that our program complies with all the international laws and standards to which we are a party to.”

American officials have said the programs resemble organized human trafficking because the medical professionals are not paid directly. Latin American leaders have denounced the U.S. position, saying any sanctions imposed for participating would deprive their people of much needed medical assistance.

Ahead of Rubio's trip, Trump’s special Latin America envoy, Maurico Claver-Caron, had suggested that if the leaders the secretary meets on his trip focus on the program it would be a waste of time. But Rubio appeared to acknowledge that at least some participants, including Jamaica, may be complying with international standards.

“They basically operate as forced labor in many places,” Rubio said. “Now there are places that have better labor standards. Perhaps Jamaica is one of those. And that’s fine."

“Every country operates the program differently, and obviously because of our relationship with Jamaica, we’re going to engage with them on that and talk about it further and have a better understanding," he said. “Perhaps none of this applies in the way it’s handled here.”

Another main issue for Rubio will be the situation in Haiti, where a multinational peacekeeping force has been in place for months, struggling to prevent gangs from taking over the country. Rubio on Tuesday spoke with the president of Kenya, which is leading that force, although the State Department account of the call made no reference to Haiti.

Rubio has extended waivers on an overall U.S. foreign aid freeze to continue to fund the security force in Haiti, but it remains unclear how long they will last.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gives a joint news conference with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, meets with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, shakes hands with Head of Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council Fritz Jean during a meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seen through the viewfinder of a camera, gives a joint press conference with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio smiles during a meeting with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Stuart Young at the U.S. embassy in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, shakes hands with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness speak at the end of a joint news conference at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks a plane as he arrives at Norman Manley International Airport, in Port Royal, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks a plane as he arrives at Norman Manley International Airport, in Port Royal, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, top right, meets with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness and delegations at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, meets with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness, left, and delegations at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness shake hands at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness give a joint news conference at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signs a guest book next to Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, third from left, meets with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness and delegations at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness and delegations at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at the office of the prime minister in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness shake hands as they pose for photos in Kingston, Jamaica, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md. to board a plane for Jamaica on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md. to board a plane for Jamaica on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md. to board a plane for Jamaica on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md. to board a plane for Jamaica on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md. to board a plane for Jamaica on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three home runs on the first three pitches.

Aaron Judge followed Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger to combine for unprecedented fireworks Saturday, starting one of the most memorable days of Judge's already indelible career.

“It was electric, from the stadium crowd to just the guys in the dugout locked in and fired up,” Judge said after homering three times, including a grand slam, and setting a career high with eight RBIs in the New York Yankees' 20-9 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Major League Baseball said this was the first time a team homered on its first three pitches since tracking of pitch counts began in 1988.

Before the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone saw Reggie Jackson, who hit three home runs on three pitches in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series.

“Maybe it was that,” Boone said.

New York hit a team-record nine homers, matching the 1999 Cincinnati Reds against Philadelphia and one shy of the major league mark set by Toronto vs. Baltimore in 1987. The first of the Reds' homers that day was hit by Boone.

Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Oswald Peraza also homered on the unusually warm 78-degree afternoon.

“Kind of a weird, crazy game,” Boone said.

Five of the homers were off old friend Nestor Cortes, dealt from the Yankees to Brewers in December, including four in the first inning. Cortes left the ballpark without speaking to reporters in what the Brewers said was a miscommunication.

“My heart goes out to him because he’s a great, great, young man, great teammate,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Your heart just hurts for him.”

Wells homered in the first as the Yankees burst ahead 4-0 in the first four-homer first inning in team history. Volpe hit a three-run drive in the second for a 7-3 lead, and Judge's ninth career slam opened a 12-3 margin in the third against Connor Thomas.

Chisholm made it back-to-back long balls, and the Yankees became the first big league team to hit seven homers in the first three innings.

Judge added a two-run homer in the fourth off Thomas, who was making his big league debut.

With a chance to become the 19th player to hit four homers in a game, Judge hit a sixth-inning fly that short-hopped the right-field wall for an RBI double. The two-time AL MVP flied out to deep left in the eighth against former teammate Bauers, an outfielder and first baseman making a mop-up appearance.

“He told me when I was on deck, is he was going to hit me in the shoulder. He didn't want to see a fourth home run,” Judge said, smiling.

He flied out on a 55.3 mph offering.

“Gave him the best curveball I had and he still hit it pretty good,” Bauers said.

Batting leadoff for the first time in his 15-year major league career, Goldschmidt drove a fastball 413 feet into the Brewers’ bullpen in left field. Wells homered starting Thursday's opening win, also atop the lineup for the first time.

Goldschmidt had just gotten back to the dugout when Bellinger sent a fastball into the right-field bleachers.

“I was putting my equipment up and, yeah, I just heard it and looked up and I saw it flying out of there," Goldschmidt said.

Judge had to settle himself.

"Bleacher Creatures are jumping up and down. Kind of got to step out and catch your breath there for a second before you step in the box because it kind of gets the heart rate going a little bit," he said.

His first homer, on a cutter, went 468 feet and appeared to land in left field's second deck.

“It was like just bang! bang! bang!” Bellinger said.

Judge had his 40th multihomer game. While proud, he didn't want to make too much of one win, framing it within last year's World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also noted the Yankees' sloppiness: five errors that led to four unearned runs and caused Max Fried to be removed with a high pitch count after 4 2/3 innings, costing him a chance to win in his Yankees debut.

“We’re on a mission,” Judge said. “A lot of guys are disappointed with what happened last year, myself included, and it starts with and preparing ourself now.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

New York Yankees' J.C. Escarra walks back to the dugout after he struck out swinging during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Milwaukee Brewers' Nestor Cortes gathers himself on the mound during the first inning of the baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees's Cody Bellinger (35) scores on an RBI double by Aaron Judge during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates his two-run home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam in the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam in the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt (48) scores on Aaron Judge's grand slam during the third inning of the baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) hits a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees's Aaron Judge (99) watches his grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) heads home after hitting a grand slam in the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) runs to first for a single in the second inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Austin Wells (28) heads home after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Austin Wells (28) watches the ball after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr (65) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger (35) smiles after crossing home plate after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankee's Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates with Aaron Judge after hitting a home run during the first inning of baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)